


Frost in Sunlight

by DecemberCamie



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, Crushes, Fake/Pretend Relationship, HxHBB18, M/M, Magic, Mutual Pining, Season Themed, Summer, Winter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-30
Updated: 2018-07-14
Packaged: 2019-05-31 06:08:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 21,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15113414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DecemberCamie/pseuds/DecemberCamie
Summary: Gon Freecss, Summer-born Bounty Hunter, has always been known across the Summer Tropic for his prodigy and odd behavior. The bizarre Hunter becomes the center of Tropic gossip once more when he brings his too pale, blue-eyed, and silver-haired Winter-born fiancé, Killua Zoldyck, to the Summer Solstice Celebration.It would be scandalous to invite a Winter-born to the Summer Solstice on any given year. But to completely ignore the increasingly tense political frictions between the Summer and Winter Tropics after the disappearance of Winter Tropic Prince is a new level of blind ignorance that only Ging Freecss’ son seems capable of bearing.Little do they know, faking an engagement to sneak a runway Prince into the Summer Tropic Palace and steal the kingdom’s legendary Soul Mirror isexactlythe kind of thing Gon would do. The arrangement would prove lucrative to Killua and Gon both if successful. And luckily for Gon, it shouldn’t be too difficult for him to pretend being engaged to someone he’s half in love with already.After all, what’s the worst that could happen?





	1. In Search Of Your Glory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _I'm here in search of your glory  
>  There's been a million before me  
> That ultra-kind of love  
> You never walk away from  
> You're just the last of the real ones ___

“Invitation, please.”

Gon kept his best smile in place, bright and dazzling enough to make anyone within in a five meter radius swoon. “I already told you, sir, that me and my partner here lost our invitation in our travels here a few days ago. _But,_ if you’d be oh so kind to check with the Prince, I’m sure he would be more than happy to—”

“I cannot allow that Mister Freecss,” the guard told him stiffly. “The same rules apply to everyone entering the Palace this evening, even for someone of your stature. Either you have an invitation, or you don’t. No invitation, no entrance to the celebration.”

Gon’s smile tightened. He fought down the urge to growl and felt the fabric of his shirt twist under the grasp of a cool, winter-pale hand.

 _“Gon,”_ his companion whispered, voice tense with worry, but Gon didn’t look away from the stone-faced guard in front of him.

He began again, “Listen, we just—”

“Mister Freecss.” The guard straightened and hefted his sword holster on his back, taking a large step forward until he was nose-to-nose with Gon. “If you and your...” his gaze slid over to Gon’s companion and narrowed, “... _friend_ cannot find your invitation within the next five minutes I will have to personally and forcibly escort you two from the premises. I cannot allow someone of _that kind_ to enter here.”

A wave of roaring anger rose up inside of Gon, blood roaring in his ears. The hand on Gon’s sleeve tightened until sharp nails dug into Gon’s skin through the thin fabric, but it wasn’t enough to keep Gon’s furious shaking at bay; how _dare_ this man talk about Gon’s partner like that?

He started to snarl, lips twisting, _“You_ _—_ _”_

“Gon? Is that really you?”

Three heads snapped around to stare the new speaker. Relief coursed through Gon’s veins at the sight of familiar bushy eyebrows, warm brown eyes, and that same timid smile from dozens of his childhood memories.

“Zushi,” he said with a true, genuine smile. “Yeah, it’s me. Long time no see.”

Zushi’s entire face lit up. He jumped forward and threw his arms around Gon’s shoulders with a bark of laughter. Gon stumbled back from the force of the hug, surprised. Zushi had been so much smaller when they were younger—

“I can’t believe it’s you!” Zushi said shrilly. He gripped Gon’s shoulders tightly and Gon couldn’t help how wide his smile grew. He embraced Zushi back with all his strength, laughing a bit when he heard Zushi wheeze in his ear.

Zushi might be older now, and definitely stronger, but it seemed like he was still the same timid Zushi. At least compared to Gon, that was.

They finally separated. Zushi kept his hands clasped on Gon’s shoulders as he looked him up and down with a single sweeping glance.

“You look good,” he said with a nod.

“You mean, alive?” Gon asked, grinning. The last time he and Zushi had seen each other had been years ago; since then Gon had disappeared to get his Hunting license with Kite and eventually receive his reputation for being the most unconventional Bounty Hunter in the Summer Tropic. Zushi had remained here at the Palace to study so he could grow up to become the future Summer Tropic King.

They had both changed so much that Gon had been afraid Zushi wouldn’t recognize him. He couldn’t be more relieved that wasn’t the case.

“Yeah, alive,” Zushi repeated with another laugh.

From somewhere to his right, Gon heard the guard say, “Your Royal Highness, this man—”

“—is a childhood friend,” Zushi finished. The guard’s mouth shut with a _click_ and Gon had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep himself from smirking.

The guard spoke up again hesitantly, “Yes, sir, but he does not have an invitation—”

Zushi cut him off, waving his hand. “Gon is one of my oldest companions, he doesn’t _need_ an invitation.”

The guard looked like he had just been slapped. A childish glee bubbled inside of Gon’s heart and he had to fight down the urge to stick out his tongue. He normally didn’t get this smug over petty stuff like this, but he couldn’t help but love the way Zushi was repeating every single thing Gon had just said—

“And…his partner?”

Gon’s smile froze, the giddiness freezing over into ice inside his chest.

“Partner?” Zushi’s brow furrowed. “Who—?”

The person at Gon’s side stepped forward. Golden light from the inside the Celebration fell across his starlight hair, illuminating his shockingly pale, ivory skin. Sharp blue eyes peered out from under snowy lashes and Gon’s heart stuttered as graceful lips curved upwards into a smile.

“Your Royal Highness,” Killua Zoldyck murmured with a bow. Zushi’s eyes went round as his jaw dropped.

“A-A Winter-born?” he stuttered out and Gon winced. Crap. He knew it would be pretty obvious just from Killua’s appearance where he was from, but to be found out this fast could prove disastrous to the—

“Exactly.” The guard was back, inching closer to the trio. “I cannot allow someone from the Winter Tropic to enter the Palace. He could be a spy, or worse, an assassin sent here to kill you.”

Gon growled darkly. “Watch what you’re saying about my _fiancé,_ guard. You know the law; he’s under Summer Tropic citizenship as long as he’s with me.”

Zushi let out a squeak at that, his caramel eyes bulging until they nearly popped out of his head. “F-Fiancé? Gon, you’re getting married?!”

Heat crawled up the back of Gon’s neck. It slowly made its way to his cheeks, then the tips of his ears, and suddenly his entire face was prickling and burning like an open flame.

Picturing Killua as his lifetime partner, the person he would spend every day waking up and falling asleep with, someone he would trust his very life to, a shooting star of a man, more incredible than anyone Gon had ever met, promised to him and him only—

It did something funny to Gon’s heart.

“It’s true,” Gon distantly heard Killua say.

He pulled himself back to the present just in time to see Killua hold up his left hand. There, sitting proudly on his finger, was a simple silver ring set with a glimmering emerald gem: a true stone of the Summer Tropic. It was a signature piece of jewelry. Once seeing it _no one_ could deny its heritage or intent as an engagement ring—not the guard, not even the crown Prince of the Summer Tropic himself.

Gon’s heart swelled with pride; Killua was so brilliant. His quick thinking might just save them.

Zushi gaped at the ring, then turned to Gon. “Wow. I-I mean... _wow._ That’s—that’s, uh—”

Gon grinned broadly. “It’s okay, Zushi, you can take a minute or two to pick your jaw up the floor.”

Zushi laughed awkwardly in kind and rubbed the back of his head. “Sorry, Gon, I just…never thought _you_ of all people would settle down. Especially now that you’re a Bounty Hunter and all.”

Gon shrugged. “Me neither. Guess I just needed to catch the right prize.”

He winked and Killua flushed, cheeks turning a beautiful shade of scarlet.

“D-Don’t talk about me like that, jeez,” Killua hissed. “It’s embarrassing! Especially in front of the Prince—”

“Oh, please!” Zushi waved his hands. “Call me Zushi! If you’re Gon’s friend—er, fiancé—then you’re mine too!”

He stopped short, immediately realizing his mistake, and blushed deeply. Gon burst into uncontrollable laughter, stuck between the look of horrified mortification on Zushi’s face and the bright red hue spreading across on Killua’s.

“Oh, _Zushi_ , this is quite a surprise,” Gon said, grinning widely. “Don’t tell me you want to marry Killua, too?”

Killua let out a long groan and Zushi stuttered out, “Y-You know that’s not w-what I meant—”

“No, no, it’s totally okay, Zushi—” Gon patted Zushi’s shoulder, “—I don’t blame you, he _is_ beautiful.”

At that exact moment, Gon slid his gaze over to Killua. They locked eyes, ocean blue clashing with golden brown. Gon said pointedly, making sure to hold Killua’s eyes all the while, “He’s the most incredible and amazing person you’ll ever meet, Zushi. I can promise you that.”

Killua’s eyes widened. The blush on his cheeks darkened, a pink stain spreading across porcelain white, but still their gaze held. Gon refused to look away, to let their connection break—

Zushi coughed awkwardly. Gon finally turned to him with a grin, only to freeze at the matching blush on Zushi’s face.

There was an odd lurch in his stomach, an unsettling feeling, and Gon clenched his jaw reflexively. He had known Killua would blush; they’d been traveling together long enough that Gon knew _Killua_ by now, knew how easily he took to the slightest bit of honest praise as long as it was from the right person at the right time.

But he didn’t expect it from Zushi. And seeing his friend react in that same flustered manner brought to light a whole slew of unexpected and new feelings that Gon was wholly unprepared to deal with.

“Shall we go inside, then?” Zushi asked, sounding distant to Gon’s ears. He stepped forward and offered his arm to Killua while Gon stared numbly. “I would love to escort you inside, Mister—?”

“Just Killua is fine,” Killua said with an uncharacteristically timid smile. He stepped away from Gon to wrap his fingers around Zushi’s bicep and Gon’s fingers curled into white knuckled fists.

The guard behind them begged one last time, “Your Royal Highness, _please_ —”

“Thank you for your service,” Zushi said as he looked over his shoulder. “But I can take it from here.”

“But, sir—”

“I will personally keep an eye on them for the remainder of them night,” Zushi declared broadly and Gon’s heart started to race in anticipation. “I’m sure these two just came here to enjoy the Summer Solstice Celebration like everyone else! You two won’t cause any problems for the Summer Tropic, right?”

Gon and Killua’s eyes met once more, and Gon saw Killua’s grip tighten ever so slightly on Zushi’s arm.

“Of course not,” Killua said smoothly, smiling wide enough to show all his teeth. “Your Royal Highness. We would never dream of it.”

* * *

**-o0o-**

The Summer Tropic Palace Ballroom was a sight to see: arching ceilings stretched so high Gon couldn’t even see the top, walls draped with branches from willows and flowered trees alike, the floor covered in a thin layer of grass and moss. The air smelled sweet and rich, thick with the scent of food and drink while laughter and music floated above their heads. Hundreds of people in multi-colored clothes swarmed around them, and even more were dancing in the center of the room. Everywhere he turned, there was more and more to see; he almost couldn’t believe that so many people could be packed into one place.

Gon wandered into the grand room behind Zushi and Killua, unable to keep himself from gaping. He’d never been inside the Palace before, not as a Bounty Hunter nor as Zushi’s friend. Only the Nobles of the Summer Tropic were ever allowed to set foot inside, and he hadn’t been called to the King’s service since gaining his Title.

Tonight was different though. Tonight he was risking everything, and if it all went wrong, he would never be allowed to set foot inside the kingdom he called home ever again.

Tearing his gaze away from his surroundings, he looked back to Killua and Zushi. Zushi was explaining something excitedly to Killua, round face flushed and mouth curled in a nervous smile, while Killua gawked at the room in awe.

Gon felt his lips tug upwards despite himself. Killua had never seen anything like this before, he was sure; in the Winter Tropic, everything was shadows and heavy furs and cold stares. The Summer Tropic was laughter and free flowing drink, fireflies and harp music hovering in the air, sheer sleeves and flowing skirts.

They were opposites. Just like Gon and Killua themselves.

Gon pushed that thought aside. He didn’t like thinking about it, how much he and Killua were different. It made his heart twist and ache for reasons he couldn’t explain. Just like the sight of Zushi and Killua still walking together, arm-in-arm.

Setting his jaw, Gon surged forward. He fell directly behind Zushi and Killua just as Zushi was saying, “Oh, and the we got the dancers for tonight all the way from Yorknew—”

“Zushi!” Gon said cheerfully and Zushi jumped. Killua pressed his lips together, looking like he was trying not to laugh, and seeing that only made Gon’s grin grow. “Do you mind if I grab Killua from you? He’s never had chocolate from Whale Island before and I _promised_ I would give him some the second we arrived.”

“Oh.” Zushi wilted, looking disappointed. “Are you sure you don’t want me to—?”

“Your Royal Highness!”

Zushi turned at the call, and Gon took his chance. He grabbed Killua’s wrist and dragged him away from Zushi, making sure to duck around as many dressed up Nobles as he could in the process.

 _“Ack_ —Gon, slow down, jeez!” he heard Killua hiss at him. “Seriously, you’re gonna tear my arm off!”

“Did we lose him?” he asked breathlessly, looking over his shoulder as he slowed to a stop. They were off to the side of the Ballroom now, lost in a sea of rainbow-dressed men and women of all ages and heights. Gon couldn’t see Zushi at all anymore from where he was standing.

“I think so? Damn.” Killua sighed and Gon glanced over to see him run a hand through his silver bangs. The emerald gem on his ring flashed in the low light from the candles, catching Gon’s eye and drawing it. The sight made his heart flutter and he touched the matching ring on his own left hand reflexively. The giddy feeling he received from the simple movement made him think what he might feel if the rings were _real_ _—_

Killua was still talking, though. Gon refocused just in time to hear him say, “Thank you, for that. I thought he was never going to let me go. He kept going on and on about the decorations and the guests and all that other crap. Ugh.”

He grimaced and Gon laughed. “What, was he not your type, hmm? Or did you just not like calling someone _else_ Your Royal Highness?”

Killua huffed. “Don’t be an idiot, Gon. He was nice enough, I guess, and I’m grateful that he got us into the Celebration without too much fuss but…” He stopped suddenly, and his eyes narrowed into dangerous, icy slits. “And what the hell is _that_ supposed to mean, Freecss?”

Gon shrugged. “Oh, you know. Just that _he’s_ royalty being the Prince of the Summer Court, and _you’re_ royalty being the Prince of the Winter Court and all, so—”

Killua blurred. A freezing hand, so icy-cold it hurt, slapped over Gon’s mouth and he found himself staring into piercing blue eyes.

 _“Shut your mouth,”_ Killua hissed. His nails dug into Gon’s skin, piercing as hail, and pinpricks of frost started to creep across Gon’s face where they touched. “If you blow this for us, you will get nothing. Got that? All of this—all of our hard work over the last few weeks, your reputation as a Summer Tropic Hunter and your place in this kingdom—will be reduced to nothing. _You_ will be _nothing._ Understand? So shut the hell up before I force you to.”

He released Gon and pushed him away in a single sweeping motion. Gon found himself stumbling into a stray table before he could fully realize how he got there. The whole transaction had happened in less than a minute, and the contrasting actions of Killua dragging him close before shoving him back left him momentarily dizzy.

Gon licked his lips. His mouth still tingled from the coldness of Killua’s touch. Even now, after weeks of traveling in the other’s company, he was still in constant awe of Killua’s abilities and powers. And he would probably always be; Killua was unlike anyone Gon had ever met, or ever _would_ meet again.

He looked over at his partner, who was warily watching him in return, and smiled.

“Wow, Killua….you’re amazing!”

Killua scrunched up his nose before letting out a drown-out groan. Gon blinked. “What?” he asked, confused. “What’s wrong?”

Killua shook his head. “Nothing, it’s just…” He sighed and covered his lightly blushing face with one hand. “You’re just unbelievable, you know that? I just _threatened_ you and you didn’t bat an eye.”

Gon couldn’t help it; he laughed.

“Well—” Gon grinned, “—it wouldn’t be the first time, would it?”

Killua stared at him, then snorted. “No, I guess it wouldn’t.”

“I’m surprised we didn’t kill each other the first day we met!”

It was Killua’s turn to laugh. “Don’t be stupid, Gon! _I_ was the one who almost killed you that day, not the other way around. You couldn’t capture me if you tried.”

“Nah, I wouldn’t say that.” Gon curled his hand around Killua’s slim waist, covered in a thin layer of blue sheer fabric, and drew him close until their bodies pressed flush against each other—

“After all, I have you now,” Gon whispered directly into Killua’s ear and grinned when he head Killua’s breath hitch in response.

* * *

  **-o0o-**

The first time Gon Freeccs met Killua Zoldyck, middle child of the Winter Tropic’s Royal Family and future heir to the throne, he hadn't known what he was getting himself into.

He’d been by the border of the Summer and Winter Tropics that day for a different reason—he’d been told by trusted sources that Kite had traveled back into the Winter Tropic, and Gon _needed_ to talk to him. Kite was the only one who might give him a hint about Ging and Gon had exhausted all his other options by then. It was Kite, or nothing.

But Kite had crossed the border before legal passageways were forcibly closed down, before the Winter Prince had vanished without a trace and the Summer and Winter Tropics’ relationship had soured and splintered and broken. And now Gon was stuck in the Summer Tropic side of the closed-down border, stumped and Kite-less.

He didn’t have to wait long though before he heard the rumors of a young, white-haired male lurking by the Summer-Winter Tropic border.

Gon’s heart leapt at the news. It had to be Kite. No one else in all of the Summer Tropic had white hair, and no one in Winter Tropic could have crossed over to the Summer side before the shutdown. There hadn’t been enough time; there was no warning when the Prince disappeared, nor when the border was abruptly closed off from the Winter side. This mysterious Winter-born _had_ to be Kite.

So he chased after the rumor, the silver-haired shadow, so sure that it was his old mentor he would find and that a lead to his long-lost father would soon be in his grasp—

But of course, fate was funny like that, and Kite _wasn’t_ the one Gon found on that humid starry night.

Instead, Gon found Killua.

Gon gasped as his back slammed into a tree truck. Stars exploded behind his closed eyes like fireworks and flares of hot pain danced up and down his spine. He braced his arms to move—to fight, to do _something,_ anything—but suddenly there was a hand shoving hard against his shoulder, pushing him back painfully into uneaven bark. He sucked in a breath as he felt the sharp tip of a dagger balance on the edge of his neck and grew very, very still.

“Don’t move,” a smooth, masculine voice ordered. “I won’t hesitate to slice your neck open, so don’t give me a reason. Nod if you understand me.”

Gon nodded, eyes still squeezed tightly shut. His head spun in dizzy circles as he struggled to catch his breath. He’d been caught off guard by the lightning-quick attack; it had come without warning, without mercy. Gon didn’t have a chance to respond even with all his years of Bounty Hunter training with Kite, and that more than anything surprised him. Thrilled him.

This stranger had beat him at his own game.

“Good,” the other man growled and the tip of the dagger pressed harder into Gon’s skin. “Tell me, then: why have you been following me, and what do you want?”

“Thought you were someone else.”

Gon grunted as hand enclosed around his windpipe, almost completely cutting off his air and making it hard to breathe. The person’s glove was unnaturally cold against Gon’s skin. Goosebumps rose on Gon’s skin where they touched, and he shuddered at the unpleasant temperature.

“Don’t _lie_ to me,” the other man hissed. “You’re after the reward, aren’t you?”

“R-Reward?” Gon wheezed. What reward? Sure, he was a Bounty Hunter but it wasn’t like he was on professional business right now—

“Listen, I don’t care who you’re working for, or what they promised you—” Gon heard the stranger take a deep breath and the hand dropped from his neck, “—because I’ve got something better to offer, if you’re interested.”

Finally, Gon cracked open an eye. It was the first time he was catching a glimpse of this not-Kite, and the moment his gaze locked with the stranger’s, Gon’s breath stilled in his throat.

His attacker was stunning, in an ethereal, almost fairy-like way. Sharp, icy blue eyes with jagged streaks of white glared back at him, framed by windswept silver hair that looked softer than clouds and eyelashes pale as moonbeams. Ivory skin glowed under the starlight, beautiful and perfect.

Even the fierce look on his face did nothing to dim his beauty—it just sharpened and elevated his features, heightening his already stunning beauty into a kind of elegance that made Gon’s heart skip, lurch, then soar right out of his chest.

“Y-You,” he stammered, jaw dropping in awe. “You’re beautiful!”

The silver-haired man snarled. “Flattery and nice words will get you nowhere!”

“I’m not being nice!” Gon protested. “I’m being honest! You really are beautiful…”

Gon titled his head, frowning. There was something else, though. Something extra that added to the other’s ethereal looks. Something almost _alien._

Gon narrowed his eyes, searching. What was it—?

“I don’t care what you think about my looks! Do you want to hear about my deal, or don’t you?! You have ten seconds to answer, Dirt-born!”

_‘Dirt-born?’_

Gon’s eyes grew large, mouth falling open. Clarity washed over him and he stared at the other man with new appreciation.

“You’re…you’re the Winter Tropic’s runaway Prince,” Gon breathed. “Aren’t you?”

It was obvious now. The coldness radiating from the hand that had clasped his neck, the unnaturally pale lips and rare blue irises, the small but noticeable traces of blue lightning at the edges of the stranger’s eyes tracing down his cheeks…

Only Royals had those lightning streaks on their faces; Summer Tropic Royals had gold streaks, Winter Tropic Royals had blue. It was a show of their natural power, of their command to lead. Gon really should’ve recognized the markings sooner, being childhood friends with Zushi and seeing them on the Summer Tropic’s Prince for so long.

But what was the Winter Tropic Prince of all people doing _here?_ And what did he want with Gon?

“You’re only just now realizing this?” the Prince scoffed. “That seal on your bag means you’re a Bounty Hunter, right? I thought your type were supposed to be smart.”

Gon recoiled, offended. “Hey! I am smart!”

“Then how come it took you so long to figure out who I was, huh? It should’ve been obvious from the start with my complexion! You Summer types all have tan skin and dark hair!”

Rage and irritation boiled over inside of Gon. He stomped on the Prince’s foot, digging the heel of his boot in mercilessly. The Prince cursed in pain, incredible blue eyes flying open wide, and Gon shoved the heel of his palm into his enemy’s chest

“I already _told_ you—” Gon said with a snarl as the Prince stumbled backwards, “—I was looking for someone! He’s originally from the Winter Tropic, so he’s got the same hair and skin complexion as you! So I when I started tracking you—”

“—you thought you were tracking _him,”_ the Prince finished, rubbing the spot where Gon had hit him with a frown. Gon nodded and the Prince hummed thoughtfully.

For a short pause, the two didn’t speak. Gon watched, mesmerized, as the Prince played distractedly with his dagger; the thin knife moved deftly between elegant fingers, almost like some kind of intricate dance. And if that was just him playing with the knife, what could he do if he was _really_ using it—

“Okay,” the Prince said abruptly. “I have an idea.” He pointed his knife at Gon and Gon’s shoulders jumped up defensively. He really hoped the Prince wasn’t going to use that on him...

“You want to find this person of yours, right?” the Prince asked shortly.

“Um. Yes?”

“Well, I want something too. If you help me get what I want, I’ll make sure you have the resources to find this friend of yours.”

Curiosity stirred in Gon’s heart. He wasn’t worried about finding Kite; he didn’t need the resources for that. But for finding Ging…

He needed all the help he could get.

Gon pushed himself off the tree trunk, ignoring the twinge of pain around his neck from the Prince’s attacks. He slowly approached the Royal Winter-born until they were standing face-to-face, staring directly into each other’s eyes.

Gon always liked looking into other people’s eyes; people were always most honest, there. And this Winter-born had the most beautiful pair of eyes Gon had ever seen.

He asked softly, “And what is it that _you_ want, Your Royal Highness?”

The Prince looked at him dead-on. He said without hesitation, “I need you to sneak me into the Summer Tropic Palace.”

Gon’s eyebrows jumped upwards. “...really.”

“Really.”

“And you do realize that _you’re_ the reason the Winter and Summer Tropics aren’t on speaking terms right now? And why the borders are closed? I mean, your family accused the Summer Tropic Royals of kidnapping you and everything—”

“They just did that because they like the drama of it all,” the Prince snapped, eyes flashing like blue fire. “My mother, especially. And I don’t care about any of that, alright? None of that matters. I _need_ to get inside that Palace.”

“Why?” Gon asked. He didn’t understand what was going on. There was no reason for the Winter Tropic Prince to go into the heart of the Summer Tropic. He would be weakest there, his natural body chill fading as well as his strength. And that wasn’t the worst part; if anyone discovered his identity, he could be killed on sight. What was worth the risk of all that?

“I need to find the Soul Mirror,” the Prince said.

“The—the Soul Mirror?” Gon repeated. “But, that’s—”

“Broken, I know.” The Prince waved his hand dismissively. “Don’t worry about that. _Your_ job would just be to get us into the Palace. Let _me_ worry about what to do with the Mirror.”

He looked up at Gon, gaze hard and wary. “So? What do you say…”

“Gon,” Gon supplied automatically. “Gon Freecss.”

“Gon Freecss,” the Prince said, name rolling smoothly off his tongue. The sound did something funny to Gon’s insides and a shiver raced down his spine. “Okay, then. _Gon._ Do we have a deal? Or should I erase your memory now and be done with it?”

Gon stared at the Prince for a long moment. Within a few short minutes, the Winter Prince had crashed into his life, effortlessly stripped him off his defenses, and offered him the opportunity of a lifetime. Even if everything went to hell and he didn’t get the reward, he knew he wouldn’t ever want to forget meeting someone like this.

“Deal,” he said and stuck up his pinky.

The Prince blinked, almost going cross-eyed trying to keep Gon’s finger in view. “Uh. What am I supposed to do with that?”

“It’s a pinky promise!”

The Prince rose a single silver eyebrow. “Is that a Summer Tropic thing?”

Gon nodded. “Yeah! It’s a way of sealing a promise. It means we can’t go back on our word.”

“That’s stupid,” Killua said flatly and Gon puffed out his cheeks angrily. “But, okay, whatever. I guess if that’s what it takes—” the Prince took a step forward and wrapped his finger around Gon’s, “—I _pinky promise._ You will get your reward for helping me.”

“And I will get you into the Summer Palace,” Gon swore in return.

The Prince’s expression softened and Gon’s heart fluttered a bit. He couldn’t help it; the gentleness looked good on him. Really good.

The Prince said sincerely, “Thank you.” He started to pull back but Gon held on tight.

“Wait!” he blurted out. “Can I ask you for one more thing?”

“…what is it?”

“What’s your name?”

“Oh. It’s, uh…” the Prince rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, a faint pink blush dusting his normally-pale cheeks.

“It’s Killua,” he said finally and Gon’s heart swelled. “Killua Zoldyck. But don’t go around telling anyone that! No one but the servants in the Winter Palace knows our first names and if you blurt out my identity in the middle of the Summer Tropic, we’ll both go to prison for sure!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 6/30/18  
> So here's chapter one of my 2018 big bang fic! For this story I started off wanting to write a winter vs summer themed fic, and then I thought it would be cool to make Killua a prince ('cause I love it when he's a prince), and then I threw in a million other tropes and here we are! I hope you like the story so far, and that you stick around for the next two chapters! Thanks for reading!
> 
> The title for this chapter comes from the song ['The Last of the Real Ones' by Fallout Boy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9xJ3y7SM7Q). I'll update this weekly, so chapter two will be up for Killua's bday~
> 
> [[My tumblr]](https://decembercamiecherries.tumblr.com/)   
>  [{My twitter}](https://twitter.com/decembercamie)


	2. Where the Light Won't Find You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _There's a room where the light won't find you  
>  Holding hands while the walls come tumbling down  
> When they do, I'll be right behind you_

Weeks had passed since their initial meeting, and now they were finally here, at the Summer Solstice Celebration. By dawn they will have either found the Soul Mirror that Killua so desperately sought, or they would both be in prison for treason.

Or, at least, Gon would be in prison. He didn’t know what would happen to Killua. He didn’t want to find out, either. They’d grown close during their travels together and he knew with a bone-deep conviction that he would do everything in his power to keep Killua out of danger.

It was his duty, because of their promise. But it was also something he would do without hesitation anyway, because Killua was special. And Gon wasn’t willing to let that special spark go without a fight.

“Stop fidgeting,” he murmured into Killua’s ear and the Winter-born froze mid-twitch. “If you keep moving like that, they’ll be sure to notice you.”

“As if! I’m already an eye-sore,” Killua hissed back. “Just look at me!”

He gestured at himself and Gon frowned. Killua did have a point...he might be wearing the same sheer tops and loose fashion trends as everyone else in the Summer Tropic Palace, but Killua looking nothing like the other Celebration attendees. His skin was milky pale against their bronze tan, his snowy hair a stark contrast to the mix of dark blond-brown-reds scattered throughout the crowd.

He was still beautiful as ever, but he was also right: he stuck out like a snowflake caught up in a sandstorm.

Killua continued scathingly, “Your father’s rings helped us to get us into the Celebration, Gon, but if we get kicked out anyway because of my looks that’s just as bad! We’ll never get to the Soul Mirror at this rate!”

“Hold on a second.” Gon cast his gaze quickly around the room. He spotted what he was searching for almost immediately and brightened. He grabbed Killua’s hand and started to pull him to the center of the ballroom’s large dance floor.

“H-Hey! Wait—”

“Trust me!” Gon said, throwing a reassuring grin over his shoulder. Killua’s mouth shut with a _click_ and his cheeks darkened ever so slightly. Gon’s grin grew at the sight and he squeezed Killua’s hand tighter.

“Excuse me, sir,” Gon said as he and Killua came up short next to one of the many servants circling the ballroom. “May I take one of those?”

“Certainly.”

Gon grabbed one of the remaining masks on the servant’s trays. He spun around to face Killua with a beam. “Here,” he said and carefully lifted the mask over Killua’s face, making sure that the ribbon wouldn’t get caught in his silver curls. He took a moment to adjust Killua’s bangs around the mask before stepping back.

Two stunning eyes blinked back at him and Gon stopped breathing. The mask he had chosen was a deep, royal, blue, outlined with tiny sapphire-looking gems. Grey feathers dotted with black spots stuck out on either side where the mask curved up towards the ceiling, and the ink-colored ribbon keeping the mask on Killua’s face only highlighted the incredible silver shine of his hair.

“Gon?” Killua said lowly. His eyes anxiously flickered over Gon’s face. “What is it? Does it look alright?”

Gon swallowed thickly. His mouth was dry as sandpaper, and his voice sounded hoarse to even his own ears when he said, “It’s....it’s perfect, Killua. You look amazing.”

Killua blinked owlishly again, then quickly looked away. It was hard to tell with the mask on him, but Gon caught sight of his scarlet ears through his white locks of hair.

There was a thrill in Gon’s stomach. _That could only mean Killua was blushing underneath the mask, too._

“You talk too much,” Killua grumbled to their slipper-like shoes.

Gon laughed; only Killua would respond to a compliment with an insult. “Then maybe we should dance, instead?” He held out his hand and Killua stared. “We are in the middle of the dance floor, afterall.”

Killua looked conflicted. But after a moment he sighed heavily, and slipped his hand into Gon’s. Gon beamed; his smile was so wide now that his cheeks were starting to hurt. Smoothly, he brought their hands into the air and wrapped his free hand around Killua’s waist to pull him close.

Killua’s breath hitched at their close proximity and Gon laughed quietly. “Nervous, Killua?” he teased and grunted when Killua whacked him in the shoulder.

“Be quiet! You’re just embarrassing, okay?”

Gon pouted. “You shouldn’t say such things about your fiancé, Killua!” he whined. “It’s mean!”

Killua rolled his eyes. “Give me a break, I can’t believe that whole thing actually worked. That was the most stupid, ridiculous plan I ever saw in my life—”

“Hey, it might have been ridiculous, but it did the job! I got us inside the Celebration! And you’re safe now as my fiancé under the Summer Tropic laws. No one will be able to touch you as long as you wear Ging’s ring, just like I said.”

“...yeah, I guess you were right,” Killua grumbled. “I still don’t get why we had to say we were _engaged_ though. Why not just say we’re married? Wouldn’t that have been more believable? Maybe then the guard at the entrance wouldn’t have put up such a fight.”

Gon hummed in acknowledgement. “Yeah, but then we’d have to go through the whole marriage ceremony and find a Sun Priestess to perform it and do the magic to bind us with those special vines. Plus we’d have to design and get those matching tattoos too and a bunch of other stuff, and I didn’t think you’d want that?”

Killua sputtered as his porcelain skin bloomed a pretty shade of red, his blush spreading so that Gon could see it even with the mask still on. “Wh-What the hell? Do you Summer-borns really take marriage that seriously?!”

“Well, yeah! Summer-borns marry for life. It’s really serious. Even just getting engaged is considered the first step of that, which is why I knew I could get you in here.” Gon looked at Killua curiously. “Is it not like in the Winter Tropic?”

Killua ducked his head, letting his silver bangs fall over his eyes and hide them from Gon’s view. “N-No, it’s the same there…”

“Oh.” Gon blinked. “Then, why—”

“I just.” Killua chewed his bottom lip and his fingers tightened the tiniest bit around Gon’s. “I didn’t think you’d actually go ahead with something like this if your culture considers marriage to be so important…you said so yourself, you’re only supposed to get engaged _once._ What are all these people going to think once they hear that we’re not really getting married?”

There was a stab of pain in the deepest corner of Gon’s heart. The sharp flare was totally unexpected, shocking in its intensity, and it caught Gon completely off guard.

He didn’t have the time to process what it meant though with Killua waiting expectantly for his response, so he did his best to shrug it off. “I-I don’t know most of these people, anyway,” he said, brow furrowed. _What was that?_ “They’re nobles, you know? They work with Zushi and his family. I’m a Bounty Hunter; I’m out in the wilderness keeping magical beasts from terrorizing the local communities and tracking down outlaws and that kind of stuff. But—”

And then he lifted his hand to clasp Killua’s chin, gently forcing the other male to raise his head and meet Gon’s gaze.

“—what about you, Killua?” he asked softly as Killua stared back with widening blue eyes. “Why did _you_ go along with this plan if marriage is just as important in your home as it is here?”

Killua wrinkled his nose at the question. If he weren’t so intent on hearing Killua’s answer, Gon might have laughed out loud at the silly way it made his companion look.  

Killua began hesitantly, “I…I never thought I _would_ get married, I guess? Not in the real way, at least.”

Gon’s heart twisted a little at that. Did Killua not want to get married? Did he not believe in love, maybe? “What do you mean, Killua?”

“I _mean,_ ” Killua breathed out in a huff. “I never believed I would find someone I actually liked enough to get married for life and all that stuff. Plus I knew my parents were going to end up forcing me into some sort of pre-arranged marriage for political reasons one day, so. Marriage in general never really mattered to me. But, then…”

His voice trailed off and was lost in the low hum of conversation rising above the crowd around the dance floor. His fingers tightened around Gon’s, in a way that seemed almost subconsciously done, and his eyes glazed over. Giddy butterflies stirred in Gon’s stomach. Had something changed Killua’s mind? Or some _one?_

“But, then?” he repeated hopefully.

Killua shook his head, silver locks fanning around him. His expression darkened as he growled, “But then everything went to hell, and now I’m stuck here in the Summer Tropic and _nothing_ matters until I get to the Soul Mirror!”  

Gon leaned away, taken aback by Killua’s change of tone. He knew Killua was intent about finding the Soul Mirror, but…

Tilting his head to the side, Gon regarded Killua with a frown as they swayed in time with the other dancers and the melodic lilt of the music flowing through the air. “You know, we’ve been traveling together for almost a month now, but you’ve never once told me why you wanted the Soul Mirror.”

Killua pressed his lips together. Gon didn’t miss the way his grip tightened on Gon’s shoulder, how his hand turned from cool to icy in Gon’s in a manner of seconds. He didn’t flinch at the change in temperature; he just watched Killua carefully, waiting for him to speak.

After a few moments, Killua said, “You’ll find out soon enough.”

Disappointment washed over Gon, stronger than he expected. _“But—!”_

“It’s not because I don’t trust you,” Killua cut him off sharply. “I just...can’t tell you here. Not with all _these people_ around. Once we get to the Soul Mirror, I’ll tell you everything. So don’t look so put out, okay? Just make sure you get me there in one piece and you’ll get your reward like I promised.”

Gon instantly perked up. His smile was back in full force, wide enough to make his cheeks ache. “Of course! When have I not protected you, Killua? Don’t you remember that time those bandits tried to steal all our stuff in the woods and kidnap you?”

Killua groaned. His ears were red-tipped again, to Gon’s delight. It made him wonder what he had done to make Killua blush this time.

“Don’t remind me, _ugh._ We almost died that night!”

“No, we didn’t!” Gon protested. “We got rid of the bandits just fine! That was the first time you used your Base Magic in front of me.”

He remembered that night so clearly, despite that it had only been about a week after he and Killua initially met and became partners-in-crime. They were traveling between towns and heading towards the general direction of the Palace when they’d accidentally crossed path with a group of bandits.

The bandits had taken a single glance at them, zeroed in on Killua’s Royal Winter Tropic clothes, and saw in him the only thing they truly cared about:

Riches.

The following fight had been an electrifying whirlwind. Whenever Gon closed his eyes and thought back to that fight, he just saw Killua: Killua’s silver hair standing out in jagged edges, lit up with static; Killua and lightning coming to life between sharp nails and dancing up his limbs; Killua taking out the bandits with blue eyes that flashed like fire and how Gon’s heart seemed to jump out of his chest to meet him—

He and Killua and triumphed in the end, of course. The fight hadn’t been exactly _easy,_ with Killua earning bruised knuckles and Gon a good number of cuts on his right arm, but…

But it had felt right, somehow. Having Killua at his back, and protecting Killua’s when the lightning-illuminated Prince was too busy to defend himself, felt good. Gon liked having Killua by his side. And that was something hadn’t once changed throughout the entire month he spent in Killua’s company.

“Just fine, my ass!” Killua scoffed with a roll of his eyes. “We had to fight every last one of those bandits tooth and nail until we were the only ones left standing! That wasn’t exactly a fun fight, Gon!”

 _“Yeah,_ but we still did it!” Gon argued back. “And we did it together! Plus the day after was nice, when we went shopping and picked out new clothes for you to wear? It was a good bonding experience.”

“Bonding experience?! Do you even hear yourself talk sometimes?!”

Gon pretended not to hear him. “And then there was that other time, when you were almost poisoned at that inn we were staying at and I saved you—”

“How many times do I have to tell you that I’m immune to poison?” Killua said, exasperated. “That stuff wouldn't have hurt me even if I _did_ drink it.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t know that! I went ahead and saved you anyway without hesitation!” Gon huffed and spun Killua around in time with the music. Killua yelped at the rough treatment, digging his nails into Gon’s shoulder. “You should give me a little more credit, Killua. I’ve tried really hard to keep you safe!”

Killua’s eyes softened through the mask, giving way to an overwhelming fondness that made Gon’s heart give a little lurch. “That’s true,” the Winter Prince admitted lowly. “I wouldn’t have made it this far without you, Gon. So...thanks.”

He leaned forward. Gon stilled before he realized what was happening, legs coming to a complete stop and his muscles locking in place. Chilly lips pressed gently to his cheek and Gon’s breath lodged in his throat.

The kiss was over as quickly as it started. Gon was still frozen when Killua moved back. Killua avoided Gon’s gaze by staring intently at their slipper-like shoes. Dazed, Gon touched the still-cool spot where Killua’s mouth had been just seconds ago.

“You kissed me,” he said, giddy and amazed and breathless all at once. It hadn’t been a real kiss, sure, but it still counted!

Killua flushed scarlet. “D-Don’t look so thrilled, jeez! We’re supposed to be engaged, remember? Engaged couples do a whole lot more advanced stuff than just _kissing.”_

Gon dropped his hand and his lips spread into a suggestive smile. “Is that your way of saying you’d like to take our relationship to the next level, Ki-llu-a?”

Killua sputtered indignantly before digging his nails hard enough into Gon’s skin to make him yelp aloud. Killua hissed, “You—!”

“There you two are!”

They both jumped at the unexpected voice and twisted around to find its source. There in front of them stood the Summer Tropic Prince; Zushi waved at them while simultaneously offering them a hesitant smile. Joy rose within Gon at seeing his friend, but that joy soured the moment he noticed Zushi’s gaze straying to Killua, specifically.

Gon clenched his jaw. Did Zushi really need to take an interest in _Killua_ of all people? Even though their engagement was a lie, Killua was for all appearances promised to _Gon._

 _Killua was his,_ Gon thought with a surge of selfishness. _And he was Killua’s. That’s what it meant to promise to support and protect each other, to care about the other person’s well-being and want to be in their presence, and—_

Zushi’s cheerful voice scattered his rampaging thoughts, “I’m glad I finally found you both! I almost didn’t recognize you with the whole…” He made a general gesture to Killua’s face. “...mask on. It looks really nice, by the way! I hope you two are enjoying the party?”

Killua looked at Gon, but it wasn’t a normal look. It held a secret meaning. It was the kind of look that was half-smirk and a single raised eyebrow, a look that said _‘watch this’,_ and Gon gulped as Killua slipped out of his hold.

“Actually,” Killua purred and Gon forced down a grimace at the way Killua slid up to Zushi’s side. This was necessary, Killua was just putting on an act, _it didn’t mean anything—_ “I was just talking to Gon about how amazing this entire Palace is! It’s so big and huge, you must have hundreds of rooms in here with tons _incredible_ and _rare_ artifacts!”

Zushi straightened, chest swelling with pride. “We definitely do! The Palace has loads of stuff passed down through the ages. My Master has shown me many of them through my training.”

“Wow…” Killua sighed, then looked back at Gon wistfully. Gon bit his lip to keep himself from laughing at the overly fake expression on Killua’s face. “Are you sure we can’t stay here a few more days, Gon? I would just _love_ to take a tour of the Palace.”

“No, Killua, you know we can’t do that—” he chastised, playing along with the story Killua was crafting for them on the spot. He reached for Killua’s hand and wound his warm fingers around Killua’s cooler, leaner, more beautiful ones. Just as he started to tug Killua back to his side, Zushi grabbed Killua’s wrist.

“W-Wait!”

Gon frowned deeply and his grip on Killua’s hand tightened. “What is it?”

“Maybe—” Zushi bit on his bottom lip, “—maybe I can show you around a bit, now? I-If you really are leaving early and won’t have time another day, that is?”

Killua glaced back at Gon. Gon inwardly groaned at the triumphant glimmer in Killua’s blue eyes. This had been Killua’s plan all along. Or maybe he’d just seen Zushi’s interest in him at the entrance and decided to play on that instead of blindly searching the Palace for the Soul Mirror himself. Using Zushi _was_ a lot easier, even if it simultaneously made Gon’s stomach twist in guilt and his heart roar in anger whenever Zushi so much as glanced in Killua’s direction…

Killua was already moving ahead with his plan.

“Are you sure, Your Royal Highness?” Killua asked in mock concern. “We wouldn’t want to cause you any trouble.”

Zushi shook his head adamantly. “No, it’s alright! If I want to show my friends around the Palace before they leave, that should be okay! I’m the Prince after all!”

He lifted his chin into the air, eyebrows furrowed determinedly. Gon couldn’t help but smile at that; he remembered countless times Zushi would wear that same expression whenever he practiced being King as a child. He had never been very good at keeping the facade up, though.

Gon’s smile dropped away, however, the second Zushi opened his mouth again.

“May I lead you both out of the ballroom?” Zushi asked, holding his arm to Killua again and smiling at Gon at the same time. Killua only hesitated for a moment before accepting the invitation. He sent Gon an apologetic glance as Zushi began to lead them out of the ballroom but Gon just shook his head minutely.

Zushi was being polite by escorting Killua; as a Winter-born, Killua would definitely be barred from entering or leaving any room in the Summer Tropic Palace. By having Zushi directly walk him in and out of the ballroom, no one could directly confront them.

It was great for their plan. Nothing could be better, really. But it didn’t erase Zushi’s painfully obvious attraction to Killua. And it didn’t make Gon any happier to see Killua at Zushi’s side as if _they_ were the ones bound by silver and emerald engagement rings, and not him and Killua.

As they approached a small parting in the wall between willow tree leaves, Gon heard Zushi shyly ask Killua, “Is there anything specific you would like to see? I want to take you to see the things you’ll enjoy most.”

“…I want to see the Soul Mirror,” Killua confessed  and Zushi blinked.

“But, it’s broken!”

“He’s always had a fascination with it,” Gon said loudly from behind them and Zushi jumped. He blushed, as if only just remembering Gon’s presence, and smiled sheepishly.

“Ah, that’s…that’s good! I mean, the Soul Mirror is really important historically and there’s a lot of stuff we don’t know about its origins and mythical properties! Before it was shattered it was mostly used to help citizens see their deepest desires and stuff like that. The Winter Tropic Royals probably know more about it, actually, since it was a gift from their kingdom many centuries ago, but…”

Zushi’s voice trailed off, gaze growing distant. Gon’s brow furrowed. He hadn’t known the Soul Mirror was originally from the Winter Tropic. He glanced at Killua, wanting to ask him, but Killua’s expression was a mask of composure. Gon couldn’t tell what he was thinking at all.

“Is the Soul Mirror under heavy security since its been broken?” Killua asked Zushi calmly.

“Hm? Oh, no, the opposite! There’s no point in guarding something that doesn’t work, so there really shouldn’t be a problem showing it to you both.”

Zushi beamed at them and Killua smiled widely.

“Perfect,” he purred and the tone of his voice sent a thrill racing down Gon’s spine.

* * *

**-o0o-**

The Summer Tropic Palace had a deceiving appearance; it was large enough from the outside with tall towers and wide rooms, a courtyard and stable and a training area for all sorts of fighting styles. Only the Royals, nobles, and their servants were allowed to enter the Palace of course, but everyone could see how enormous it was just from the shadow it cast on the neighboring lands.

But the Palace’s outside appearance had _nothing_ on its interior.

Gon stayed silent as he trailed behind Zushi and Killua, paying careful attention to their surroundings. The further they traveled from the main ballroom area, the darker and more narrow the corridors became. Windows vanished, along with decorations and carpet and guards. The walls and floors became barren, and soon there were only candles to light their way.

 _It’s like a maze,_ Gon thought with a shudder. He couldn’t even tell if they were on the ground floor anymore, and he was someone with years of Bounty Hunter training built upon natural-born instincts. How did Zushi keep track of where they were going with all the twisting passageways?

“Hey, Zushi?” he called out and the pair in front of him looked behind their shoulders. “Do you, um, know where we are?”

“Yes, of course! It’s not too hard to remember everything when you’ve been a stuck here your whole life…”

He sighed heavily, deflating, and Killua eyed him curiously.

“You aren’t allowed to leave this place?” he asked.

Zushi shook his head sadly. “No…the Crown Prince or Princess is required to stay inside the Palace until they become of age. Their birth name isn’t even announced to the general public until then.”

He turned to smile timidly at Gon. “Gon only knows my name because he trained with Kite, and all Bounty Hunters work directly under my parents to keep our Tropic safe from magical beasts! I’m not sure if it’s the same in the Winter Tropic—”

“It is.”

“Wh-What?”

“It is,” Killua said shortly. Gon didn’t miss the way his grip on Zushi’s arm tightened, how his blue eyes narrowed into icy slits. He wanted to jump forward, to smooth out the crease between Killua’s brows— “They don’t tell the general public anything about the heir in Winter Tropic, either.”

“Ah.” Zushi blinked. He looked confused, but unsure of what exactly to do about it. “W-Well that makes sense, actually! We don’t know how to find the missing Winter Tropic Prince since the Winter Royals didn’t speak a word about him to anyone…if they did, maybe the borders would be open now!”

Killua snorted and muttered, “Doubt it.”

“What?” Zushi asked as Gon’s eyes widened.

“Nothing!” Killua chirped. He put on a dazzling smile and Zushi’s gaze grew somewhat dazed. “I was just talking to myself. Are we almost there, by the way? We’ve been walking for a while.”

“Huh? Oh, um—” Zushi shook his head. Gon would have smiled at his flusteredness if the blush in his friend’s cheeks didn’t make his stomach twist into knots and an ugly feeling rise inside his heart. Zushi’s attention towards Killua didn’t even matter, he didn’t understand why seeing it stirred such intense, heated emotions inside him.

Zushi perked up suddenly. “Ah, yes! Here! This is it!”

He tugged Killua forward, gesturing Gon excitedly towards an unmarked door in the middle of the corridor. It was a boring door, as far as doors went: plain oak with a few, simple, swirling designs etched into its surface. Gon wouldn’t have noticed the door at all if Zushi hadn't pointed it out.

Gon and Killua watched warily from a distance as Zushi pressed his palm to the wood’s center. He murmured a few choice words under his breath—some sort of Projection Magic spell, or maybe a password?—and his hand glowed. Gon felt his eyes grow large as the wood rippled under Zushi’s fingers, mailable like a pond’s surface. A muffled click was heard a few seconds later and the door swung inwards with a _creak._

Zushi stepped to the side. “After you,” he said, gesturing with a proud smile.

Killua glanced at Gon and Gon looked back. Killua’s blue eyes shone with quiet triumph, but Gon’s gut twisted anxiously. They’d been extremely lucky this far, but…something told him it couldn’t be _this_ easy.

Still, when Killua reached out to lace their fingers together, Gon couldn’t help but think that they might be okay. Killua always made him feel that way, though; like he could do anything, as long as Killua was at his side and he was at Killua’s.

There was a peace that came from being with the Winter Tropic Prince that Gon had never felt with anyone before. And even the anxiety prickling at his brain couldn’t overcome that.

Gon took a deep breath, squeezing Killua’s cold fingers. “Let’s go,” he said. Killua smiled softly at him before facing forward.

Together, they stepped through the open doorway.

The first thing Gon noticed was the scent of flowers. It was intense, overwhelmingly strong, and hit Gon like a brick wall. He wrinkled his nose and held back the urge to gag as his and Killua’s slippers crunched against pink flower petals. Killua’s grip on his hand tightened, grounding him, and Gon blinked the nausea away. He stared out at the forest of cherry blossom trees in front of them, uncomprehending.

Because that’s what this room was: a mass of endless cherry trees. Everywhere Gon looked, there were more and more trees. Baby trees, adult trees, tall trees and thin trees. Soft petals fell through the air like snow and a thick layer coated the ground. He couldn’t even make out any dirt, or a floor of any kind, or walls or ceilings—the room just stretched on and on and on into the darkness like an infinite void.

It was wrong. Something about this room was strange and alien and radiated a kind of negative energy that had Gon’s hair standing on its end. Every instinct he had was screaming at him to turn on his heel and bolt, to run through the door he just walked through and never look back.

Because he had a horrible feeling that if he took another step forward into this forest, he might never walk out.

“Wh-What is this place?” he asked and his voice came out strained.

“It holds the Soul Mirror!” Zushi answered matter-of-factly, coming up to stand next to them with a beam. The door clanged shut and Gon jumped at the loud noise. “This way, I’ll show you where to go! Make sure not to get lost, though, you might never find your way out!”

A nauseous feeling rose up inside Gon’s throat. That statement wasn’t half as assuring as Zushi probably thought it was. If anything, it made Gon’s muscles lock in place with fear, a heavy dread settling over his mind and body.

There was a nudge in his side. He turned to meet that piercing-blue gaze.

“Are you alright?” Killua whispered. Concern shone out of his incredible eyes and some of the nervousness melted out of Gon. He breathed in deep to steady himself.

 _Remember, Gon,_ he told himself. _You have Killua. You’re not alone._

“Yeah,” he said out loud. “Let’s keep moving.”

“Are you sure? I can…” Killua’s brow furrowed. “I can go the rest of the way on my own, if you want. You’ve done your part, I can pay you now and leave. I won’t force you to do this.”

The sudden drop of Gon’s heart was like a slap to his face. It was worse than any trepidation caused by silent cherry tree forest around them. Because the idea of Killua leaving, of Killua vanishing into the trees to never return, that was—

Wrong. Unsettlingly so. Almost like this forest, but in a different, worse way.

Gon nodded a little too vigorously as he gripped Killua’s fingers tighter. “Mhm! I’m sure! C’mon, we don’t wanna lose Zushi this early on!”

He pulled Killua forward and the Winter-born followed, stumbling for only a moment before falling beside him. Their shoulders brushed with every swing of their arms and Gon squeezed Killua’s slender, always colder, hand. Killua responded with a comforting squeeze of his own and warmth instantly flooded Gon’s chest.

Their linked hands was Gon’s anchor as he, Killua and Zushi made their way deeper and deeper into the warped cherry blossom forest. The trees’ trucks grew thicker and thicker with each step, the branches becoming harder and harder to reach. The air was stifled and dry. No sound reached Gon’s incredible ears and he _hated_ it.

Killua’s nails dug into his skin. “We’re almost there,” he murmured quietly, keeping his gaze zeroed in on Zushi’s back just a few steps ahead. Gon’s frowned at his partner. He didn’t understand. How did Killua know—?

“Look!” Zushi called out excitedly. “We’re almost there, see how the trees are getting thinner?”

Gon’s eyebrows shot upwards. He looked from Zushi—who was hurriedly walking forward—and the smug-faced Killua.

“What?” Killua asked, catching Gon’s expression. “I told you we were getting close.”

He didn’t wait for a response before taking off after Zushi. Gon trudged after obediently, still tied to Killua by their clasped hands. The reminder sent a little spark down his spine and he allowed himself a small grin.

His grin dropped away though when Killua pulled him into a small, circular clearing. He felt his eyes grow large as they landed on its center: a tiered platform, worn out with age but cut from solid, shining gold.

And on top tiered platform was—

“The Soul Mirror,” Killua breathed and Gon swallowed, mouth dry.

The Soul Mirror was exactly what he had pictured, and not. It was, unsurprisingly, a large mirror that radiated a freezing cold but it was tall enough tower over him if he had been standing beside it. It had to be twice his height, at least. The mirror wasn’t a perfect structure, either; it was a general oval, but the mirror’s edges were oddly wobbly and jutted out at strange angles. It wasn’t a cut that any man could make.

And then there was the mirror itself, dark and cracked. From what Gon could tell, the glass had been shattered by a single blow to its center.

“Yep! This is it!” Zushi beamed proudly, rocking in his heels. “It’s broken, like I said. That’s why we had to move it from the Center Square in town; no one could really use it once it was shattered like this…”

His voice trailed off. He and Gon watched as Killua slowly approached the tier, the Winter-born gazing at the Soul Mirror as if entranced. Killua untied the ribbon from around his head he climbed up the steps and the jewel-encrusted mask dangled from the tips of his fingers. And it was only then, with Killua walking towards the Soul Mirror, that Gon realized—

There was a piece of the Soul Mirror missing. The missing piece wasn’t very large, but big enough to cover the palm of his hand, and it was at the epicenter of all the cracks.

Gon tore his gaze away from the Soul Mirror to Zushi, opening his mouth to ask. His question died on his tongue the moment his gaze landed on his friend though, because of course Zushi was also gazing forward as if entranced.

Only it wasn’t the _Soul Mirror_ Zushi was entranced by.

A wave of rage crashed over Gon, abrupt and unforgiving. He moved before he could properly think, arm whipping back and hand coming down to land sharply across Zushi’s neck.

_“Ah—!”_

Zushi let out a strangled gasp at the contact. Brown eyes rolled backwards and Gon lurched forward just in time to catch the Summer tropic Prince in his arms.

Killua, of course, didn’t miss a thing. He whirled around at the sound of Zushi’s cry from the top of the steps. Gon saw Killua’s jaw drop in horror from the corner of his eye and held back a wince. Okay, maybe it hadn’t been the _best_ idea to knock Zushi out—

“G-Gon?” Killua sputtered. “What the hell?! Did you just attack the Crown Prince of the Summer Tropic?!”

“I didn’t _attack_ him,” Gon said, exasperated. He carefully lowered Zushi to the petal-covered ground as he continued to explain, “I just knocked him out, that’s all. I would never hurt Zushi.”

“And _why_ did you do that?! What if you set off alarms or traps or—?”

“Then wouldn’t we see them by now?” Gon asked as he stood up. “Or hear them? Don’t worry, Killua, we’re fine. We couldn’t let him stay conscious anyway and see whatever you’re gonna do with the Soul Mirror, right?”

Killua scowled deeply. “Don’t try to logic this out with me, _Gon,_ you were glowering at him this whole time.”

“Yeah, well—” Gon avoided Killua’s gaze, feeling the alien sensation of heat crawling across his cheeks, “—he was looking at you funny.”

Killua raised his eyebrows, unimpressed. “He was looking at me funny, you say.”

“Yeah. Like...staring at you.”

“You mean he was _interested_ in me,” Killua deadpanned and folded his arms. “And that bothered you? You do realize we’re not really engaged, right? You don’t need to keep up this act when no one is around to see it.”

Gon scrunched his nose. There was a tight, twisting feeling in his chest. “I _know_ that. And I’m not acting, Killua! Zushi only liked you because he thought you were pretty. I could tell.”

“Again,” Killua said, starting to sound irritated. “This shouldn’t matter. You think I’m pretty, for Spirit’s sake! You tell me that every other day!”

“Yeah, but I know you for real! There’s a difference!”

Killua flushed at that, sputtering indignantly. “S-So? What are you trying to say? That you like me for real or something? Compared to _Zushi,_ the Prince of Summer Tropic? Don’t make be ridiculous, Gon. You’re my fake fiancé, not my real one, so come up here and let me show you why we’re here in the first place.”

Gon grumbled under his breath, but did as Killua ordered him.That really hadn’t been what he was trying to say at all but. Well...

Gon dropped his gaze to the silver and emerald ring on his left hand. Killua had a point, didn’t he? It _shouldn’t_ bother Gon whatever Zushi felt for Killua. Not unless Gon’s feelings for Killua were real.

“See this?” Killua asked when Gon made it to the top step. He wrapped his hand around Gon’s bicep to lead Gon forward. Small sparks of electricity erupted from where they touched and Gon fought down the urge to shiver.

“Hey, are you paying attention?” Killua said, tone sharp, and Gon forced himself to refocus.

“Um, yes?”

“You better, I only have the time to explain this once to you.” Killua glared at him before turning back to the Mirror. “See this, how the mirror splinters from this hole? There’s a reason for that. My brother shattered the Soul Mirror in its center before—”

“Woah, woah, wait,” Gon cut him off, head suddenly spinning. “Your _brother_ broke the Soul Mirror?! I thought your family gave it to the Summer Tropic!”

“We did, but that was ages ago,” Killua said with a dismissive wave of his hand. “My great-grandmother is the only one who’s old enough to remember crap like that. The point I’m trying to make here though is that Illumi broke the Soul Mirror for a _reason.”_

His blue eyes raked up and down the mirror, clouding over with a memory Gon couldn’t see. Killua murmured, “What most Summer-borns don’t know know is that this Soul Mirror wasn’t just given as a gift. And it isn’t simple tool for common-folk to ask what to get their loved ones for their next birthday, either. That might have been its purpose for the past decade or so, but the Soul Mirror serves a much more important function than to simply show anything the soul desires.”

Killua took a step back. He snapped his fingers and lightning sparked between his fingers, alive and crackling and _dangerous_. The hairs on the back of Gon’s neck rose as the temperature around them plummeted. His breath fogged out in front of him and he watched, transfixed, as Killua reached for his own forehead with his lightning-fingers—

A flash, and then Killua’s entire body was engulfed with flickering beams of lightning.

 _“Ki-Killua?!”_ Gon yelped, horrified, and panic tightened his throat until he couldn’t breathe.  

He lurched forward while his heart jumped into his throat. He didn’t know what to do, he didn’t understand what was happening or what was going on, but he couldn’t let Killua just stand there and be hurt, not when he could do _something—_

But the lightning was already fading away. Gon stopped short and blinked, his eyes quickly adjusting to the sudden lack of light. His gaze fell once more on the now-literally shimmering Winter Prince.

…who now was holding the missing piece of the Soul Mirror.

Gon sucked in a startled breath. “H-How did you—?”

“My brother stuck this in me,” Killua said flatly, nose wrinkled in disgust. “In my forehead, if you want the specifics. Took me ages to realize he put it there in the first place, the bastard.”

“Why would he do that?” Gon asked. Was that normal for the Winter Tropic? Or just for the Zoldycks?

 _“Because._ He didn’t want anyone to ever find it and fix the Summer Tropic’s Soul Mirror. And if I didn’t even know the missing piece was inside me, how would anyone else?”

A wave of nausea caused Gon’s stomach roll. So Killua’s family had used him, then. How awful and sick and, and _wrong._ How could anyone use the incredible and amazing Killua like that? Especially his own family member? What kind of person could this older brother be?

Killua didn’t notice Gon’s inner turmoil. He just strode back over to the Soul Mirror, saying as he did so, “Like I said earlier, my brother broke the Mirror for a reason. It’s not some toy; it’s a _transportation pod._ You Summer-borns have been using the Soul Mirror _only_ to have it show your soul’s desire, but there’s a second step you’ve been ignoring entirely. Once you see your desire, you put your hand to the glass, and then it takes you—”

“—to the place of your desire,” Gon finished, understanding dawning on him.

Killua smiled at him from his spot in front of the Soul Mirror, a strange gleam in his blue eyes. “Exactly. And once I fix this Mirror, it can take me anywhere I want.”

And with that, Killua pushed the missing piece back into the Soul Mirror.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 7/7/2018  
> HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY KILLUA!!!! :D I love you with my whole heart, and I wish I could've written something more for your bday but updating this fic is all I got right now <3
> 
> Thank you dear readers for making it to the end of the second chapter! I'm sorry the chapters are so long, but the fic doesn't flow as smoothly if I chop it up any more than it already is ^^; Thank you so much for all the kind comments I've received for this fic, as well as the bookmarks and kudos! It means a lot to me to know that pple actually enjoy my stories, so thank you <3 Chapter 2's title comes from the song ['Everybody Wants To Rule The World' by Lorde.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaVA6sgOpws)
> 
> Kyuunagashi on tumblr was one of my artists for the Big Bang event, and [HERE](https://decembercamiecherries.tumblr.com/post/175290972178/kyuunagashi-my-entry-for-hxhbb18-it-was-fun) is her beautiful artwork inspired by the scene of Killua and Gon dancing! :D please please P L E A S E check her works out, I'm honored to receive such amazing art from her~
> 
> [[My tumblr]](https://decembercamiecherries.tumblr.com/)   
>  [{My twitter}](https://twitter.com/decembercamie)


	3. We'll Take What Comes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Do you feel the same when I'm away from you?  
>  Do you know the line that I'd walk for you?  
> We could turn around, or we could give it up  
> But we'll take what comes, take what comes_

Fire crackled in the background as Gon carefully wove bandages around and between Killua’s elegant fingers. He could feel the distant heat of the flames across the side of his body, the contrasting coolness from Killua’s arm pressed against his lap.

It was a weird mixture of temperature, but he was too focused on wrapping Killua’s bruised hands to pay much attention to anything else at the moment.

“Does it hurt?” he asked, looking up at the Royal Winter-born through brown lashes.

Killua shook his head. His expression didn’t betray a single twinge of pain despite how tightly Gon wound the bandages. Killua just murmured quietly, “You’re fine. But, you know, you don’t need to do this. It’s just a little bruising.”

Gon scoffed at that. “You _do_ need this. You got hurt, Killua.”

“It wasn’t that bad.”

“Bad enough for you to need bandages,” Gon shot back and Killua wrinkled his nose. “Tomorrow, we’re going to buy you new clothes. _Summer Tropic clothes._ If those guys recognized you from just your Winter clothes alone—”

“They were _bandits,”_ Killua argued with a roll of his eyes. “It’s their job to recognize stuff like that—”

“—but that doesn’t guarantee that no one else will recognize you, either,” Gon said sharply. “Right?!”

Killua pressed his lips into a thin line. “...I don’t have any money,” he admitted after a beat.

“That’s okay.” Gon turned back to his work on Killua’s hands, wrapping a final bandage around a pale wrist. “I have some. And don’t try to argue with me, okay? Let me protect you; you can repay me after all this is over. But for now, we’ll just have to use my money to buy you a cloak or something.”

He glanced up at Killua’s face with a slight frown. “And we should probably get makeup to cover up your lightning marks, too. We can’t go into the Summer Tropic Palace with those visible, everyone there will instantly recognize you as a Royal.”

Killua’s free and already bandaged hand jumped up to touch the marks on his cheeks. His brow furrowed, their campfire’s flames making the shadows on his face stand out in sharp contrast to the rest of his pale complexion.

Gon watched him out of the corner of his eye. The lightning marks pulsed a bright blue under Killua’s fingertips, as if responding to his touch. The sight brought back the hours-old memory of him and Killua fighting against the banditss who saw them as easy prey: a rich Winter-born on the wrong side of the border, and his naive travel companion.

They hadn’t been further from the truth.

“Hey,” Gon said suddenly and Killua glanced at him.

Something fluttered to life in Gon’s chest as the full force of those piercing blue eyes focused on him. It wasn’t a _bad_ feeling, really. Just...different. New. It had been there ever since Gon had met the Winter Tropic Prince just a week ago, and Gon wasn’t sure what to make of it. There were still lots of new things Gon was still trying to understand when it came to Killua Zoldyck and this weightless, breathless feeling was only one part of many.

“What?” Killua asked. His cheeks were starting to darken with a blush—or was that a trick of the fire-light, again? “Stop gawking, jeez. You can’t say ‘hey’ and then not follow up, stupid.”

“Oh.” Gon shook himself. “I—I just was thinking, what Base do you have?”

Killua raised his eyebrows. “You mean, what nature aspect is my _Magic Based_ in?” he asked and Gon nodded vigorously.

“Yeah! That.”

“Couldn’t you tell just from that fight? It’s lightning.”

Killua gently pulled his hand out from between Gon’s, and it was only then that Gon realized that they had been holding hands that entire time. He blinked as the fluttering sensation in his chest wormed its way into his heart, lightening and bubbling until it became something giddy.

Even though Killua’s hand had been cold, Gon’s entire body felt warm.

Killua snapped his fingers. A flash, then a sharp cracking sound. Gon’s eyes widened as the smell of ozone filled the air, and—

“Lightning,” he breathed and saw a smile part Killua’s lips out of the corner of his vision.

“Yep,” he said, turning his hand over in the space between them. Sparks of dangerous light danced between his fingers and over Killua’s bandaged skin. Gon’s eyes grew impossibly large while he gaped in awe, Killua continuing to explain in the background, “Most Winter-borns have their Magic Based in nature elements like snow and ice and hail. Typical cold stuff. But I was different, for whatever reason.”

Gon didn’t answer, just kept on gawking at the show of raw power in front of him. Base Magic was the Magic that took the form of a natural element, generated innately depending on the kind of person you were and which Tropic you were born in. The strength of a person’s Base Magic relied upon on the natural element their Magic took shape of, and having lightning as a Base was as strong a Base as Gon had ever seen.  

And even with all that—Killua was _still different._ Lightning in the Summer Tropic was born from humid air and thunderstorms made of charcoal clouds. Killua’s lightning was made of something entirely different: of a sharp, biting-winter cold and tinted a light blue, radiating freezing frost into the air and scattering ice wherever it hit.

Killua’s lightning was unlike anything Gon had ever seen. And it— _Killua_ —amazed him.

“I don’t mind it, though,” Killua said with a shrug. “Lightning’s cool. And since lightning is so strong as a Base Magic, I don’t need to rely so much on Projection Magic. It’s probably the reason why I was chosen as heir, actually... _because_ my Magic is that strong.”

Gon swallowed down is awe, shutting his gaping mouth. “Chosen? You mean—you aren’t the first born?”

Killua snorted, the sound was bitter. “No. That’s not how it works in the Winter Tropic. The heir status is based on _potential.”_

The way he said ‘potential’ was like a curse; he spit the word out, hatred shining out of those blue eyes. Gon gulped. He had a feeling Killua didn’t appreciate his potential or his hier status, for whatever reason. But…

“Is that why you ran away?” he asked hesitantly and immediately Killua stiffened. “Because you didn’t want to be the heir anymore?”

Killua’s stare turned icy. The lightning in his hand vanished with a final _zap_ , and he said shortly, “I didn’t run away.”

Surprise made Gon’s blood run cold. “Wh-What?”

 _“I didn’t run away,”_ Killua repeated, sounding irritated. Frost began to seep into the log they were resting on, inching and spreading from the point where Killua sat. Gon didn’t move away, not even when the flames from the fire started to dim and flicker or when goosebumps rose on his arms— “You really shouldn’t believe everything the Royals tell you, Gon Freecss. You never know when they might be lying.”

“B-But,” Gon stammered out. “If you didn’t run away from Winter Tropic...how did you get here?”

“I was thrown out.” Killua looked out at their failing campfire. The shrinking scarlet and orange flames were reflected in his blue irises, hiding their true emotion from Gon’s gaze. “I got in their way, and they needed me to stop meddling. So, they’re kicking me out of Winter Tropic for a bit until the whole _situation_ blows over. I’m sure they’ll open the borders again after that. But I don’t can’t wait that long—I _won’t_ wait that long.”

Gon’s mind reeled. The more Killua talked, the less he understood. What had Killua seen that was bad enough for the _Crown_ _Prince_ to be thrown out of his own Tropic?! It was like Killua was deliberately trying to confuse him with this explanation!

And yet, he didn’t think Killua was lying. Killua had no reason to do that.

“Who are ‘they’?” Gon finally asked when Killua remained silent. “Are they your family? And what does the Soul Mirror have to do with any of this?”

“...I can’t tell you that,” Killua said and disappointment swelled inside of Gon like a wave. “I’ve said too much already. But once we find the Soul Mirror, you’ll find out exactly why I need it. I promise.”

Gon wilted. “Okay.”

“Can I ask you something, now?”

Gon’s head snapped up. Killua was watching him with a curious expression.

His chest swelled. Killua wanted to ask him something. Killua was curious. About _him._

“Of course!” he said, trying not to sound too excited, but knowing right away that he failed. “What is it?”

“What is _your_ Magic Based in? I’ve never seen anyone fight like that before. It was incredible.”

Gon’s lips spread into a grin so wide it made his cheeks ache. He said proudly, “My Magic’s Based in fire, Killua! But I don’t get to use it a ton, since I’m a Bounty Hunter and all. We use Projection Magic mostly from a far distance to lure beasts in and away from villages and keep the public safe. You know, using seals and traps and that kind of stuff.”

He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly and peaked at Killua through brown lashes. “You were the first person who’s seen my Base Magic in years, actually.”

Killua blinked, surprised. “What, really? But you used it so naturally.”

“Heh. Well.” Gon scratched his cheek. A pleased blush spread its way across his face, the giddiness from earlier returning in tenfold. “I always liked using Base Magic better, anyway. And it felt really good fighting with _you,_ especially.”

This time there was no mistaking the dark flush blossoming across Killua’s face. “Wh-What’s that supposed to mean?!”

“Eh? Just, that it felt natural fighting together. Like it was something we’d been doing a long time, instead of for the first time. You know?”

“I...I guess? I dunno.” Killua suddenly leaned close and Gon jerked when a cold hand pressed to his forehead. He sucked in a sharp breath, skin tingling from Killua’s touch— “Do you have a fever or something? You’re saying some bizarre things, even for a Summer-born.”

Gon laughed before he could help himself. “I’m not saying anything bizarre! I’m just being honest!”

“Hmph.” Killua leaned back again and looked away. But he didn’t look away quick enough before Gon caught sight of red-tipped ears and still-flushed cheeks. “You’re _weird,_ Gon.”

Gon just hummed happily to that. Because he really _was_ happy; despite the apparent ‘weirdness’ of his words, Killua hadn’t moved away. Killua was still sitting next to him on the log, the stars over their heads and the sound of crickets’ chirping floating all around them. It was just the two of them on this Summer night, alone but together.

And Gon found that, despite the added chill in the air from Killua's body temperature, he didn’t mind the extra coolness in the least.

* * *

**-o0o-**

The moment Killua pushed the missing piece back into the Soul Mirror, a blast of power ripped through the air.

Gon cried out and threw himself flat against the petal-covered floor, making sure to push Killua’s head down as he went. They made it just in time for the wave of pure energy to pass safely over them. Gon looked up, wide eyed, to see the Soul Mirror pulsing with bright light.

“Ki-Killua?” Gon swallowed thickly. Adrenaline was rushing through his veins, making his heart gallop in his chest. “What’s going on?!”

There was a low groan from underneath him.

“That was just the Soul Mirror accepting the missing piece,” Killua moaned. “Like a shockwave or something, probably.”

“Will there be more?!”

“I don’t know, Gon!” Killua sounded exasperated now. “No one’s ever attempted to fix this thing before, you know, so I can’t say for sure! There’s more stuff I have to do before it's totally back to normal anyway—so if I had to guess, yes, there’s _probably_ more where that came from.”

Fear caused Gon’s throat to tighten. He didn’t like the sound of that. What if the Soul Mirror rejected Killua’s attempts to help and he got hurt in the process? Magic infused objects always behaved weird. Kite used to go on about how Gon couldn’t rely on them to react the same way every time—

“Uh, Gon? You can let me go now…”

“Huh?” Gon blinked down at Killua. The Winter Tropic Prince’s cheeks were dusted the faintest shade of pink, and Gon’s mouth turned dry.

“Y-You can let me go now,” Killua repeated and Gon froze.

 _His hand was still pressed against the curve of Killua’s neck,_ he realized suddenly, _his fingers just barely grazing the tips of Killua’s soft silver curls…_

He felt himself flush across both cheeks and all the way to the tips of his ears, and snatched his hand away from Killua’s head. “S-Sorry, Killua! Here, lemme—”

He hastily stood and offered his hand to his Winter-born companion. Killua only hesitated a moment before taking it, his face still a bright pink, and Gon lifted him into the air. Cold seeped into his skin where they touched, but Gon didn’t mind it in the least.

He was all too used to the cold by now. He liked it, even.

“Okay, now what?” he asked as Killua brushed pink cherry blossom petals off his clothes. “You said you weren’t done fixing this yet?”

Killua nodded. “There’s still the cracks.”

He stepped up to the Mirror and placed one elegant finger to a splinter. Frost spread across the glass from Killua’s touch, slowly filling in the empty space as his hand moved down the length of the crack. A sharp tinkling sound filled the air, and surge of awe filled Gon as he watched Killua’s Projection Magic do its work. Killua really was incredible. But…

“You have to do that with every crack?” Gon asked as his eyes drifted over the Soul Mirror. There were at least a hundred splinters zigzagging from the center piece that had come from Killua’s head. “Killua, that’s going to take ages—”

“I _know_ that,” Killua said testily and Gon shut his mouth with a _click._ “But this is the best plan I’ve got. Unless you have something better in mind?”

“Not really,” Gon admitted sheepishly. He watched with fascination as the Winter Tropic Prince began to carefully trace another crack. “Why do you even want to fix it, anyway? I get why it’s so valuable, but restoring it back to its former glory won’t do _you_ any good. It’ll only help the Summer Tropic.”

Killua muttered, eyes narrowed against the Mirror’s glow, “Don’t be stupid. No one in the Summer Tropic knows what this thing can do; only my family understands it’s true power.”

“Okay, so: why do it then? You can go anywhere in the Summer Tropic, so you don’t need it for that. The only place you _can’t_ go is—”

Gon stopped short, mouth hanging open.

Killua didn’t spare him a glance. “The only place I can’t go is _where,_ Gon?” he growled.

“…the Winter Tropic,” Gon finished, heart twisting with something akin to horror. “Wh-Why, though? Why would you want to go back there? You said your family kicked you out—”

“I need to finish something,” Killua cut him off sharply.

He reached the end of a crack with a flourish and stood up straight, turning around to face Gon with his hands on his hips. The irritated glare Killua leveled at him should have made Gon quail. Instead his breath caught in his throat; the way those blue eyes flashed reminded him of the winter lightning Killua so often wore like a second skin, and both were as beautiful as they were dangerous.

“Back after we fought off those bandits,” Killua began and Gon forced himself to concentrate on the smooth lilt of Killua’s voice. “I told you I saw something I wasn’t supposed to see, and that’s why my family banished me. They didn’t want me interfering with Allu—interfering with their _plans.”_

“But I won’t let them stop me. I’m going back home, no matter what, and I’m going to put an end to whatever it is they’re scheming over there. _That’s_ why I need the Soul Mirror. That’s why I need your help, and why I won’t rest until this thing is fixed.”

Gon swallowed thickly. His throat was burning, and his heart ached for a reason he couldn’t name. But he had a feeling it had to do with Killua’s explanation. With Killua leaving.

“So,” he started, eyes stinging and prickling. “You’re going back, then. That’s it?”

Killua looked stricken at Gon’s question. “Wha-What do you _mean,_ that’s it? I don’t belong in the Summer Tropic, Gon! I grow weaker every day I stay here.” His brow furrowed and his hands curled into fists. “You... _we_ both knew this wasn’t going to last forever. A promise is a promise, and once I finish this, we’ll go our separate ways.”

The stinging was worse now. There was a lump in the back of his throat at the thought of never seeing Killua again, at never waking up to his grumpy expression or getting that rush of warmth in his chest after making him laugh. He had grown so used to Killua’s electric presence and without it, Gon knew his life would be grey in comparison.

Gon took a deep breath, feeling the heavy weight of Killua’s stare on his face. He tried to ignore the fire in his lungs when he began to say, “What if I—”

_BOOM!_

A thunderclap echoed around the clearing, loud and shocking. Gon spun on his heel, fighting down a swell of frustration and rage at the interruption. But that all melted away when his eyes landed on—

“Zushi?!” he blurted out and Killua cursed loudly.

“Dammit— _I_ _told you_ he was booby trapped!” he cried out as Gon rushed over to the fallen figure of the Summer Prince.

Crouching next to Zushi, Gon winced; Killua had been right, just like always. Zushi’s figure was now shrouded in a strange, throbbing, red light. The thunderclap had already disappeared into the forest of cherry blossom trees, but Gon was under no illusion of what it meant:

Soldiers were coming. And they were coming soon.

“We don’t have a lot of time before guards of some kind get here,” Gon warned, throwing a look over his shoulder, and Killua glared back at him.

“Well, don’t just stand there!” he growled. “You said you’d protect me, right?!”

Gon’s heart lurched at Killua’s words and his companion’s darkening cheeks. “R-Right?”

“Right, _so_ go stall them! I have to finish fixing this thing, and we’re trapped here until then!”

“But—will you be okay here? All alone?”

Killua rolled his eyes. “Give me a little credit, Gon! I’m the Winter Tropic heir. But,” he amended at seeing the clear worry on Gon’s face. “I promise I’ll shout for you if anything happens. Alright? Now _go_ already!”

Gon didn’t need to be told twice.

He jumped to his feet and sprinted into the thick of the cherry blossom trees. He hadn’t brought much of his Bounty Hunter supplies into the Celebration to avoid suspicion, but he didn’t need much to buy Killua the time he needed. Projection Magic would work best for setting up a barrier to keep the guards occupied, anyway. So that’s what Gon would do.

He’d just have to fight off anyone who managed to get past the barrier. He couldn’t let anyone get to Killua. He _wouldn’t._

Gon slapped a paper seal against the thick trunk of a cherry tree. Concentrating hard, he visualized the seal’s unique symbol melding into the bark and simultaneously murmured a few choice words under his breath. Warmth rippled through his veins and passed into the tips of his fingers. When he opened his eyes, the marking from the seal had been burned into the trunk.

Gon grinned triumphantly. One tree down. He just had to apply the remaining seals onto specific tree trunks and create a circle-like shape with the Soul Mirror—with Killua—at its center. If anyone tried to pass the seal’s Magic would be activated, creating a barrier.

Or it should be, if Gon did the Projection Magic right. Projection Magic was hard, after all; it didn’t take the form of a natural element like Base Magic. It was all about taking the Magic _inside_ oneself and pushing it onto something else. It was difficult to control pure energy without form and Gon never really liked practicing it much.

But even though Gon didn’t enjoy performing Projection Magic, he was far from bad at it. He’d been a Bounty Hunter for a while now, and he trusted his abilities. This would work. If not, he would just fight whoever was left to protect Killua. It was that simple.

Gon hurried to put up the barrier of seals. He didn’t know how much time they had, how long it would take for the Summer Tropic soldiers to find their way to this room, and then to arrive at his and Killua’s location. And if Zushi had a tracker on him, they had even less time. So Gon finished his task quick and fast before twisting around and racing back to Killua, heart thudding anxiously in his throat.

Just as Gon reached the Soul Mirror’s clearing, another powerful wave of energy nearly knocked him off his feet.

Gon dug his heels into the ground with a wince. He threw up an arm to block the sudden gust of wind and squinted out at the scene in front of him. He could just barely make out Killua’s lithe figure through the pulsing white light coming from the Soul Mirror, and Gon’s stomach twisted with anxiety.

“Killua?!” he shouted to the Winter Tropic Prince, but Killua didn’t show any sign that he’d heard him. There was a powerful rumbling all around the clearing, rippling through the air and vibrating in the pink petals under Gon’s feet. He could tell the strange sound was coming from the glowing Soul Mirror, and that couldn’t be a good sign.

Gon swallowed thickly, pushing down the dread crawling up his throat. He cupped his hands around his mouth to call again, _“Killua!_ What’s going on? Why does the Soul Mirror look like it’s gonna explode?!”

Killua didn’t look back. “Shut up and stay focused on your own job, Gon!” he snapped loudly, silver hair whipping around his head from the force of the wind. “I’ve got everything under control!”

“It doesn’t _look_ like you’ve got it under control, though—”

“I _do,_ okay—”

A bright pulse of light burst from the Mirror. Gon didn’t think; he threw himself on Zushi’s unconscious body as a rush of warmth passed over them. He pushed himself back up a second later, heart in his throat— _Killua_ —only to see the Royal Winter-born scrambling upwards with a curse.

Gon breathed a sigh of relief. Killua was okay. But—

 _“That’s_ what you call under control?!” he yelled and Killua made a rude gesture without glancing at him.

Gon grinded his teeth together as he watched Killua stumble back to the Soul Mirror. Now that he was paying attention, he could see how much better it looked compared to when he’d left the clearing—it looked more whole now, with less cracks and _definitely_ more power. That was obvious just from the light and strange rumbling alone, but it was more than that.

The Soul Mirror practically radiated energy, now. It was something Gon could feel even from his spot at the bottom of the steps. And the only explanation was Killua; the Mirror’s Magic was coming back to it with every crack Killua fixed. But then what would happen when the Soul Mirror was whole again?

A second roar pierced Gon’s eardrums, this time from far off in the distance.

Gon let out a choking gasp as he felt a sharp twinge deep in the pit of his gut, hallowing and sparking up every nerve in his body. His skin prickled and burned all over, and the air left his lungs in ragged pants.

He knew what all this meant, and it wasn’t anything good—

 _“Gon?!”_ Came the shrill of Killua’s voice in the distance. “What was that—are you okay?! What’s wrong?”

Gon sunk his teeth into his bottom lip; it _hurt,_ but the sharp tang of blood on his tongue was just enough to pull him back to the present. To Killua’s paler-than-pale face staring down at him anxiously from the top of the steps.

“I-I’m okay,” he managed to stammer out. “My seal barrier was activated...”

Killua looked petrified now. “What do you mean _activated?_ Will the seals hold?”

Gon was a little insulted at that. He puffed out his cheeks and wobbled only slightly when he stood. “Yes, they’ll hold! There might be a lot of men trying to get through, but I’m a _Bounty Hunter;_ traps and seals are what I specialize in. Have a little more faith in me, Killua!”

“Jeez, sorry,” Killua muttered with a shake of his head and turned back to the Soul Mirror. He was using both hands now to carve out the cracks as Gon came up besides him, his blue eyes flickering back and forth to keep track of his progress.

Killua continued, lips tugging into a playful half-grin, “I just wasn’t sure how carefully you applied the seals, okay; no offense, but you’re don’t exactly plan things super far in advance. You’re always the kind of do first, think later, kind of guy—”

“Hey!” Gon whined, but he was grinning all the same. He couldn’t help but laugh at Killua’s teasing tone, even in the dire situation they were in. Killua made him smile before he was even aware he was doing it. “I think all of the most important things through!”

“Do you really?” Killua arched a single silver eyebrow. He only had a dozen more zig-zags left on the enchanted Mirror, and Gon’s heart started to pump faster at the realization. “And what about this, hm? This plan, fixing the Soul Mirror and getting your reward—did you really think this all through when you agreed to help me that day?”

Gon’s mouth turned dry. “Of course,” he answered honestly. Because he had, really. Just because it had been a quick decision didn’t mean he hadn’t taken it seriously.

“But do you still think it was the _right_ one?” Killua asked, softer now.

Gon didn’t hesitate. “Without a doubt.”

Killua’s eyes widened a fraction, a dark flush blossoming across his cheeks. Gon’s heart began to pound erratically in his chest. He wanted nothing more than to turn Killua’s head to face him. To ask Killua if he felt the same surge of giddy, nervous excitement whenever they locked eyes for a few seconds too long, if the idea of saying goodbye hurt _him_ as much as it hurt Gon—

Something hot and sharp flared within Gon’s chest, as piercing as any arrow. He jerked away from Killua with a loud cry.

“Gon?!” he heard Killua yell distantly. “What’s wrong now?!”

Gon breathed heavy. “Someone—someone got through the seal.”

What little color remained in Killua’s face drained away. _“What?”_

“It has to be another Bounty Hunter.” Gon straightened, sweeping his eyes across the—for now—empty clearing. “That’s the only person who would know exactly how to break a seal. And there’s more than just that; seals are personally made with a unique marking, you have to know the person who created them in order to break their Magic...”

Gon frowned to himself. Another Bounty Hunter. And not just any Bounty Hunter: a Bounty Hunter who knew Gon well enough to understand how he made his seals. The thought unsettled him, but he did his best not to let it show.

“It doesn’t _matter_ who broke through, just that they did it!” Killua was saying in a high-pitched tone. “If one person broke through, so can others! I’m not done with the Soul Mirror, Gon, I need more time!”

Gon grasped Killua’s shoulder. “It was only that one person, Killua, and I’ll take care of them. _I promise.”_ He gave Killua’s cold shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “Just keep—

Gon had half a second to register the way Killua’s eyes widened to the size of the moon. Before he could blink Killua was lurching forward, quick as a lightning-strike, and the sharp, burnt smell of ozone filled Gon’s nose.

_ZZZZAP!_

Gon sucked in a shuddering breath.

Killua stood in front of him, instead of at Gon’s side where he’d been just a heartbeat ago. His blue eyes flashed like lightning, frost and ice scattering out in a snowflake pattern around his feet. And there, clutched in his white-knuckled fist, he held a deadly sharp arrow.

Gon stared at the weapon in Killua’s pale hands with wide eyes. It was obvious that the arrow’s intended location had been Gon’s heart. It was only thanks to Killua’s incredibly fast reflexes that Gon was spared.

Killua...Killua had saved him.

“Hello, Gon.”

Gon looked up at that familiar voice, dread settling heavy in his gut. His breath lodged in his throat at the sight of his old master, Kite, standing in front of a cherry blossom tree and holding a powerful bow.

Gon whispered, shocked, “Kite…? What’re you—?”

“I heard you were looking for me.” The lithe man stepped deeper into the clearing. He was just as Gon remembered, with the same blue cap and cascading white hair that billowed in the wind. This was the first time he’d seen such strong disappointment in his gaze, though. “It seems you found a different answer to your problems, however.”

_Snap._

Gon jerked at the sharp sound. He looked down to see Kite’s arrow, now broken into two uneven parts, tightly grasped in Killua’s trembling hands. Killua said through clenched teeth, “Gon. Do you know him?”

Gon swallowed thickly. Killua was not happy. “Y-Yes.”

“Good.” Killua shoved the broken arrow pieces into Gon’s chest and looked him dead in the eyes. “Then _deal with him.”_

The _‘before I do it for you’_ part was left unsaid, but Gon understood what Killua meant without having to be told.

Killua began to turn away, but Gon caught his wrist last second. “Killua,” he said, quietly so Kite wouldn't hear, and squeezed his fake fiancé’s pale hand. _“Thank you.”_

Killua pressed his lips together, then looked quickly away as his cheeks darkened. He nodded once and gave Gon’s fingers a returning squeeze before slipping out of Gon’s grasp. He strode back to the Soul Mirror, and Gon gazed after him for only a moment before facing forward again.

Slowly, Gon walked down the steps and toward Kite. “Were you really trying to kill me with this?” he asked curiously and waved the broken arrow pieces in the air.

Kite’s gaze drifted from Killua’s back to Gon. Gon couldn’t read the hazel-eyed stare leveled his way, but he wasn’t sure he wanted to. Still, Kite sounded sincere enough when he answered, “No. Even if the arrow had pierced you, I would have saved you. But I was betting on the Winter-born thief to take the arrow, instead.”

Gon gritted his teeth. “Killua’s not a thief.”

“That’s not what it looks like to me. Or what it will look like to the King and Queen, or Zushi once he wakes up. A Winter-born in the Summer Tropic is never an innocent, Gon.” He frowned. “I should know. And you don’t look look too innocent yourself right now.”

“I don’t care about the King or Queen,” Gon snapped back. And he didn’t. He’d never planned on sticking around long under the Summer Tropic’s Royals’ rule, anyway. He was only ever going to stay a Bounty Hunter until he learned the skills he needed to search for Ging. But then—

But then he met Killua. And his life had been turned on its head.

Gon forced himself to regain composure. He had to keep Kite occupied. For Killua.

“I don’t care about them,” he repeated, calmer this time. “And _we’re_ not stealing anything. You can say whatever you want, but that’s the truth.”

Kite raised both eyebrows. “Is that so?”

“Yes. It is. But, we _are_ going to finish what we came here to do, no matter what. So don’t try to stop us!”

Kite sighed heavily. “You know I can’t do that. Try for once to listen to reason, Gon. Take Zushi, and run back to the ballroom. There will be consequences for your actions up until now, but I will vouch for you.”

That wasn’t even close to being an option. As if Gon would ever surrender Killua like that. But every sentence Kite talked was another second won, and every second that passed brought another surge of power back to the Soul Mirror.

So Gon asked, eyes hardening, “And if I did do that? What would you do to Killua once I left?”

Kite seemed taken aback at Gon’s question. “Gon. Whatever that Winter-born is doing to the Soul Mirror—”

“Is none of your business!” Gon snarled. _“You_ can take Zushi back to the ballroom, but leave us alone! I won’t leave Killua behind!”

Kite frown deepened and he stared at Gon for a long, drawn out minute. Gon could hear the trinkling sound of Killua’s incredible Projected Magic working away at yet another crack, and he prayed that this distraction would be enough to let Killua finish the job. It had to be, they didn’t have many options left.

“Interesting,” Kite said finally and Gon blinked. “So Ging’s rings aren’t just for show, then. You really are in love with him.”

A wave of heat crashed over Gon, rushing straight to his cheeks and the tips of his ears. “I-I. I’m not—”

“It’s too bad you both decided to break Summer Tropic law instead of living a peaceful life in the country together,” Kite finished and threw out his arm. A crackle of Base Magic made his hair float up around his head, and fresh layer of ice coated his bow.

Gon dropped Kite’s broken arrow, immediately shifted into a crouch and let his own fire Base Magic swirl in scorching scarlet and orange orbs around his fists. On the inside though, his mind was a whirlwind of chaos.

In love? Was he—was he _in love_ with Killua? Was that possible?

He liked Killua, of course. That wasn’t hard to admit. He liked Killua _a lot,_ actually. He’d grown to enjoy Killua’s company more than he’d ever thought possible when he first met the Winter Tropic Prince nearly a month ago. He had fun laughing with Killua during their travels, challenging him during their sparring sessions. Gon was in constant awe of his incredible strength and unique abilities.

But...if Gon was being honest with himself, what he liked most about Killua recently was something entirely different: he loved teasing Killua, making him blush to watch that perfect pink spread across winter-pale cheeks, the giddy butterflies in his stomach whenever they brushed hands and the surge of warmth in his chest—

Gon’s heart lurched. The air left his lungs in a single _whoosh,_ and time slowed to a crawl.

It all made sense, now. Why he felt so much pride slipping Ging’s ring onto Killua’s left finger before the Celebration, while wearing the matching piece on his own hand. Why he despised Zushi with an uncharacteristic passion when his childhood friend stared longingly at Killua. Why it felt like a physical blow to hear that Killua was leaving behind the Summer Tropic for good—leaving behind _Gon._

 _Oh. I_ do _love him, then,_ Gon thought as he blinked owlishly. The realization wasn’t earth-shattering, or even monumental; if anything, the feeling he had right now was...acceptance. Like he’d known his true feelings for the Royal Winter-born all along, and was only now just coming to terms with it.

A fluttering, euphoric surge of emotion swelled up in Gon’s chest. It made him want to smile until his cheeks ached from the force of it, to run to Killua and sweep him into his arms with a booming laugh, to never, ever let the Winter Tropic Prince go until Killua was as completely and utterly happy as Gon was in this moment.

But now was not the time. Gon tightened his hands into white-knuckled fists and narrowed his eyes at his previous mentor. While he’d been stuck in a daze of his own lovestruck realization, Kite’s Bounty Hunter weapon had finished shifting into its new form—this time, an oddly shaped spear with a deadly sharp point.

Gon licked his dry lips. Nothing had changed. Not really. He would still do whatever it took to protect Killua, even if it meant fighting an old friend. He just knew _why_ he was so determined to protect Killua now.

 _After this is all over, I’ll tell Killua the truth,_ Gon thought to himself. _And hopefully,_ hopefully, _he’ll feel the same. He has too. But until then I can’t let Kite get to him—_

Kite lunged without warning, swinging low. Gon jumped over the spear and the metal tip scraped across the steps with a screech. Gon landed hard on his heels, the touchdown sending a jolt up his legs, then immediately launched himself off the teir with a cry. The flames around his hands gave him a burst of speed and the resulting kick he landed on Kite was enough to force the taller man stumbling backwards. Gon only allowed himself a split-second grin at the rush of satisfaction inside him before taking after him again.

Kite might’ve been the more experienced fighter, but he was disadvantaged in every other aspect of this battle: he wanted to get to the Soul Mirror, but it was obvious within a few blows that he wouldn’t do it at the cost of Gon’s life. Gon, on the other hand, was fighting tooth and nail to keep Kite from even touching the petal-covered tier _—_ he pulled at Kite’s hair, threw petals in his face, even tried snapping his spear in half.

(That last part didn’t work, of course. But at least he tried.)

Gon also had the stronger Base Magic. Pure fire was better for hand-to-hand combat, even if Gon stopped short of intentionally burning his former mentor. Kite’s frost Base Magic allowed him to change the shape of metal, which let him call forth any weapon of his choosing. But that wouldn’t help him fight Gon in close quarters. Especially when Gon was hell-bent on not giving him the chance to use his weapon at all.

“Don’t do this, Gon,” Kite grunted, the wooden beam of his spear groaning as it pressed against the bone of Gon’s forearms. “You’re throwing away everything by helping him.”

Gon opened his mouth to growl something. But before he could, light exploded from the Soul Mirror, rippling through the air just as so many other shockwaves from the Soul Mirror had done before.

This pulse of power, however, was stronger than any of the previous ones and the pair was sent stumbling backwards and away from each other. But Gon had been in the Soul Mirror’s presence longer, and so he recovered first. He kicked his leg up high with a growl. Kite blocked just in time and then they were back at their same dance: Kite trying to advance forward, Gon stopping him short at every turn.

“I’m gaining more—” Gon snarled, “—by being _with_ Killua, than without him.”

Kite’s eyes narrowed. The temperature around him dropped and Gon called on his own energy until the heat of his flames were enough to counter the change—

_“YES!”_

Killua’s sudden cry pierced his ears, loud enough to be heard through the roaring thunder and the pulses of power emanating from the Soul Mirror. Gon whipped around in time to see the Winter Tropic Price triumphantly grinning as he stood in front of a glowing, crack-less Soul Mirror.

Gon’s breath caught in his throat. Killua, he _—_ he did it. He had fixed the Soul Mirror. That meant they could go, they could—

He heard the whistle of air and moved instinctively. Ducking swiftly, he threw his leg out behind him. Kite’s spear soared over his head at the exact moment his heel collided with his old mentor’s chest; Kite went flying from the impact of his kick, suspended for a solid three seconds before colliding into the thick trunk of a cherry blossom tree.

_THUNK._

Gon gasped, then stood up straight. Oh, no. Oh, no no no _no_. He didn’t mean to hit Kite that hard!

He quickly ran over to the fallen man, checking his breathing and feeling for a pulse. He slumped in relief when he sensed both. Thank the Spirits. He didn’t know what he would do if—

“Oi, Gon! Get up here!”

Gon’s head snapped up at Killua’s call. His heart started to pump faster despite his recent exertion from his battle with Kite, and he looked back down at the fallen man.

“Sorry,” he whispered and straightened Kite’s cap apologetically. “I hope I can explain everything to you in person, one day.”

He stood up. He turned his back on his mentor and struggled up the tiered steps. The wind was stronger than ever now, tearing at his clothes and howling in his ears. It was like being stuck in a mini tornado, with the Soul Mirror as its eye. Gon’s comparison proved to be true; the moment he reached the top step the wind vanished.

“Hey,” Killua said, grinning still, as Gon panted. “Took you long enough.”

“Sorry, I was...” Gon swallowed thickly, throat constricting as those stunning blue eyes locked with his. Being face-to-face with Killua for the first time after acknowledging his feelings made butterflies come to life in his stomach, a breathless feeling stir in his lungs.

What did Killua feel, when he looked at Gon? Did he feel the same way, or nothing at all?

Killua raised his eyebrows, looking bemused. “You were...what? Fighting that silver-haired guy, right?”

Gon nodded jerkily. There was a warm prickling sensation creeping across the back of his neck as he stammered out, “Y-Yeah. That.”

“You took care of him, though?”

“Mhm. He’s knocked out.”

“Good. And no one else will be getting through your seals?”

“No. I don’t think so, at least. Kite is the official Bounty Hunter for Summer Tropic, so he’s the one the Royals would turn to first in an emergency. Any other Bounty Hunters are either weaker than him or too far away to be of any help.” Gon frowned, concentrating. “And I can still feel the other men trying to get through the barrier I put up, but that’ll take them at least another thirty minutes or so to weaken.”

“And I’ll be long gone by then,” Killua said with a nod and there was a responding pang in Gon’s heart, sharp and deep. “That’s perfect. I, uh. I guess that means I owe you this, then.”

Killua reached into the pocket of his pants and pulled out a small purse.

“Here,” he said and shoved the purse into Gon’s unexpecting hands. “The money’s all there, paid in gold. Our Tropic uses the same monetary system as yours, so. That stuff should be enough to get you whatever you need to find that man of yours.”

Killua’s blue gaze strayed past Gon’s shoulder to where Kite lay, beyond the wall of shrieking wind. “...I really hope that wasn’t the guy you were searching for.”

Gon laughed, but the sound was hallow. “No, that’s not him.”

“Oh. Good. Because that would be kind of disappointing if that were the case. Uh, no offense. I’m sure he’s a great guy under normal circumstances, but he _did_ try to kill you—”

“No, I get it,” Gon said with another laugh and this time, the sound was genuine. His gaze softened as he continued to stare at Killua. He let his eyes wander over tousled silver hair, those blue lightning streaks that trailed down pale cheeks...

“You know,” he said, an idea coming to him and making his heart pound. “I never properly thanked you for saving me.”

Killua scoffed. “You _did_ say thank you, idiot,” he said, but his tone was tender. Fond. And the light blush on his cheeks gave Gon more than enough courage to continue with the crazy plan forming in his mind.  

Gon took a step closer to the Winter-born. Hope fluttered in his chest when Killua didn’t move away, but instead kept on gazing at Gon with that incredibly gentle look.

“No I didn’t,” Gon said, even softer this time. With even more tenderness. “Not really. Just saying thank you doesn’t count. I have to prove it to you.”

Killua rolled his eyes at that. The flush of his cheeks was growing darker. Deeper than the color of the cherry blossom petals scattered around their feet, more like pink clouds in a perfect sunset sky. If Gon concentrated hard enough, he thought he could make out the heavy _thud-thudding_ of their joined heartbeats beyond the pulsing of the Soul Mirror.

“There’s no _time_ for proof, Gon,” Killua said. “You said so yourself; your barrier will hold for another thirty minutes, and that’s being generous. We don’t have time for _anything,_ right now. The only thing we do have time for, is goodbyes.”

He held out his hand, face turning oddly blank, and Gon’s heart shuddered to a stop.

For a long moment, Gon stared at Killua’s extended hand. The purse Killua had given him felt like it weighed as heavy as bricks in his own palm, and he _hated_ it.

Finally, he managed to whisper, “Is that really what you want?”

Killua made an exasperated noise. “What are you talking about _now_ , Gon?! We both got what we wanted! You got your reward, and I got the Soul Mirror!”

He threw out his arm to gesture at the Mirror, brows furrowed in a mix of irritation and anger. But Gon could tell the shine to his blue eyes was a little too bright to be normal, the slight wobble to his lower lip more than just a trick of the light.

So. This wasn't what Killua wanted, after all. Just like Gon no longer just wanted the money Killua had shoved into his hand less than a minute ago.

Gon dropped the purse. It made a heavy _thunking_ noise as it landed at their feet, and Killua jumped when Gon stepped up to his chest.

“G-Gon?” he squeaked. “Wha-What are you...the money—”

“I don’t care about that anymore,” Gon said plainly and reached up to cup Killua’s face. Killua’s breathing hitched and his eyes grew large. Those blue irises shimmered in the glow of the Soul Mirror, more captivating than any gems.

They were the last thing Gon saw before he was kissing Killua, warm lips meeting cool ones and the polarized temperature harmonizing between them.

Killua froze against him for all of one second—long enough to make Gon’s heart quiver in his chest and his heart rate spike—before melting completely into Gon’s touch; he curved against Gon’s chest, clutched the front of Gon’s shirt just as tightly as Gon held onto him, and Gon’s blood raced in his veins.

 _I’m kissing Killua,_ he thought distantly, too wrapped up in the Winter-born to process much else. And Killua was kissing him back with a cold mouth that moved eagerly against his own, face tilting to kiss Gon even better, even _deeper,_ than before. A euphoric mix of bubbling glee and throbbing _want_ surged inside him and Gon dug his fingers into Killua’s soft hair, cupping the back of Killua’s head to keep them pressed close together.  

So, maybe...maybe Killua liked Gon, too. Maybe they had a chance, maybe they could work things out. Because Gon would rather move forward with Killua, taking a chance and leaping into whatever craziness might lay before them, than stay here in the Summer Tropic alone without him.

They finally separated with a gasp. Gon pressed his forehead against Killua’s and stared into bright blue eyes while his heart thumped erratically in his chest. Killua looked back breathlessly, not even trying to slip out of Gon’s arms.

Every part of Gon ached to pull Killua against him again, to keep kissing him and never stop. But he forced himself to hold back. What he really needed right now was to _talk_ to Killua. To see if he really wanted them to be together as badly as Gon did. And kissing wouldn’t get Gon those answers, no matter how badly he wanted to kiss KIllua. There would be time later, if he was lucky.

So instead of kissing those perfectly pale lips, Gon forced himself to focus on gently stroking Killua’s cheeks with his thumbs. He chuckled lightly to himself; despite the blazing redness of Killua’s blush, his skin was still cool to the touch.

“What’s so funny?” Killua growled lowly, eyes narrowing.

“Nothing, it’s just—” Gon shook his head, “—you’re blushing, but you’re still cold. Why is that, I wonder?”

Killua groaned and, to Gon’s delight, dropped his forehead onto Gon’s shoulder. “That is not the question you should be asking right now, Gon!”

“Okay. I’ll ask you something else, then.”

“What is it _now_ —”

“Will you marry me?”

Killua’s entire body stiffened. His head shot up, blue eyes bulging. “I—wh- _what?!_ ”

“Will you marry me?” Gon asked again and Killua gaped. His eyes were frantically scanning Gon’s face for a sign of humor, any sign that he was joking. But Gon couldn’t be in less of a joking mood right now.

“G-Gon,” Killua stuttered out. Gon could feel the Zoldyck’s nervous anticipation rolling off him in waves, how his hands shook where he tightly grasped Gon’s shirt. “You. You can’t be serious.”

“I wasn’t,” Gon said with a nod. “Not the first time I asked you to marry me, at least. We were just trying to come up with a plan to get you inside the Palace for the Celebration, but...I’m serious now. I swear it.”

He tilted his head at Killua’s flabbergasted expression and frowned. “Why don’t you think I’m serious? I gave you a ring, already. I know these rings were my dad’s and we found them in my aunt’s closet, but they still count as engagement rings! Is it because I’m not down on one knee? I can do that, if you want—”

“No!” Killua yelped. He yanked Gon back upright just as Gon was starting to properly lower himself to the petal-covered ground. “You don’t have to...Spirit _dammit,_ Gon.” He dropped his head back onto Gon’s chest, his breathing unsteady. “You always have to make things so difficult.”

“Does that mean...you _don’t_ want to marry me?” Gon asked hesitantly, heart twisting until it felt like it might break.

“I—I never said that!” Killua said indignantly and his voice turned unnaturally high-pitched.

“What is it, then?” Gon asked. He wrapped his arms around Killua’s waist and crushed the Royal Winter-born to his chest, burying his face into his soft, snow-colored hair. “Tell me what you’re thinking. Please, Killua.”

He didn’t want this to be his last moments with Killua. He didn’t think he could bare it if Killua _did_ leave him after all. But if this really was his last few seconds in Killua’s presence, he was determined to enjoy it as much as he could. He tried to memorize the feel of Killua in his arms, his smell and—

“I, I just. Why would you want to marry me?” Killua finally asked and Gon stilled. This time Killua sounded uncharacteristically small. “And why did you _kiss_ me? In all our travels together, you never once said that you liked me any more than a f-friend. I just don’t understand where all this is coming from—”

“It’s because I love you,” Gon interrupted and Killua made a choking noise. _“Really._ I mean it, Killua! I love you. But I didn’t realize that until just now, until you told me you were leaving, and that I wouldn’t be by your side anymore. I asked you to marry me because I _want_ to marry you, and I want to do it for real this time. I kissed you because I wanted to do that, too.”

He paused, then smiled. “Do you really think I would do something I didn’t want to do?”

Killua laughed brokenly. “N-No…”

“Exactly. So—” he lifted Killua’s chin and pressed their foreheads together again while the wind howled and the Soul Mirror’s Magic pulsed around them, “— _marry me,_ Killua. I really, really love you. So much. I don’t want you to go back to the Winter Tropic if means I can’t go with you.”

“You can’t mean that—” Killua protested weakly.

“I do!” Gon cut him off. “I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it, and you know that! We’ve been together for a month, I know you and you know me! I _like_ that you’re different from every other person I’ve ever met. I like that you’re cold instead of warm, and that you can make lightning spark from your fingertips. I like that you make me smile and that you’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever met, and that I can make _you_ smile, too. And if you’ll let me, I want to make you smile every day for the rest of your life.”

He paused. Killua’s eyes were huge again, glowing and bright and beautiful. They were always so beautiful, ever since the first day Gon saw him.

“You’re...ridiculous,” Killua finally said, weakly, and Gon’s brow furrowed. That. Was not the reaction he’d been hoping for—

“You’re ridiculous and crazy and annoying and, and, and you’ve been nothing but insane since the first day I met you!” Killua burst out, shaking his head violently. “I! I had everything figured out, you know? Find someone dumb enough to get me to the Summer Tropic Palace, fix the Soul Mirror, go home. It was simple. It was easy.”

He glared at Gon. “But of course I had to meet _you_. And you were the furthest thing from easy I could get. Because you actually cared: you stopped the bandits from kidnapping me, you took the poison meant for me. You bought me clothes and food and shelter, and you made me laugh, and happy, and!”

He stopped short, cheeks flushing red once more, and the giddiness returned to Gon’s heart.

“You made everything so much more complicated,” Killua finally whispered. He lifted his own left hand to his face, gaze settling on the silver ring and shimmering emerald gem Gon had placed there. “Because suddenly you were slipping this ring on my finger, and I couldn’t stop from wishing it was real.”

Gon reached up to clasp Killua’s hand. “It _can_ be real. Just say yes, and I’ll go with you back to the Winter Tropic. I’ll never leave you—”

Killua grabbed the back of his head and dragged Gon forward into another kiss, mouth hard and fierce on Gon’s. Gon responded and kissed Killua back before his brain could catch up with what was happening. Killua’s smell was in his nose and his icy fingers were on Gon’s burning cheeks. Gon’s heart soared; he wanted to keep kissing Killua over and over and over again—

Killua pulled back, panting against Gon’s gasping mouth, “That _is_ a yes, doofus.”

He pressed his palm flat against the glass of the Soul Mirror, grin wider than Gon could ever remember seeing it. Gon’s own cheeks ached with the force of his beam. The Soul Mirror started to glow even brighter under Killua’s touch, its light strong enough to rival the sun, but Gon could only stare at Killua—at his _fiancé_.

Laughing, Gon lifted Killua into the air and spun him around by his middle. He was so incredibly happy, happier than he ever thought was possible. His lungs and heart and chest swelled like it couldn’t contain the feeling, and Killua was smiling down at him like Gon had just made all his dreams come true.

After Gon gently lowered Killua back to the ground, Killua wrapped his arms around Gon’s neck and tugged him close.

“Gon,” he whispered and the sound of his own name caused a shudder to race down Gon’s spine. “The Soul Mirror is going to send us to the Winter Tropic, now. But you have to be sure. Do you want to come with me? Is this really where you want to be?”

Gon’s heart thudded loudly in his chest. He tenderly brushed silver bangs out of Killua’s face and said simply, “I want to be with _you.”_

Killua’s sparkling blue eyes crinkled at the ends. He hugged Gon tightly as cherry blossom petals swirled around them, picked up by the force of the wind and the increasingly loud and steady thrum of the Soul Mirror. The roaring of the wind turned into a sound like rumbling thunder. It kept growing and growing, like a damn about to explode, and Gon held onto Killua as they both waited for the inevitable.

Just when Gon didn’t think the roaring could get any louder, the Soul Mirror shattered outward into a million tiny fractions. Gon gasped as the fractured pieces scattered into the air and spun around them in a mini tornado. He gaped in wonder, watching through the spinning wall of sharp glass as the pink-petaled trees melted away to reveal bare branches and the floor underneath them gave way to pure white snow.

There was a gentle tug to his shirt. Gon pulled back slightly and found Killua smiling at him, beautiful and dazzling. Gon’s lips curled and, unable to hold himself back a second longer, he leaned forward. He kissed Killua passionately, holding onto him as the world melted and transformed around them into something entirely new.

When they separated, snow was falling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 7/14/2018  
> And it's over! :D I hope you enjoyed reading this whole fic, I'm really happy with how it turned out. This fic grew way larger and longer than I ever anticipated, but I really love the world I created! Special thank you to zappychild on tumblr, who drew [this beautiful art](https://decembercamiecherries.tumblr.com/post/175258492878/heres-my-piece-for-the-hxh-big-bang-i-was-given) for the final scene of this fic! I'm so lucky to have been paired with such talented artists for this Big Bang~~~
> 
> I actually made a playlist for this au, you can find it [HERE!](https://open.spotify.com/user/decembercamiecherries/playlist/7qYHulgrRXnBlRnAYFN0Eu) The title for this chapter actually came from one of the songs on there, it's called ['Walking The Wire'](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdpWFhqQNNs) by Imagine Dragons.
> 
> If you have any questions or comments about this fic or anything else, you can always find me at my tumblr. Thank you again for reading!
> 
> [[My tumblr]](https://decembercamiecherries.tumblr.com/)   
>  [{My twitter}](https://twitter.com/decembercamie)


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